iAm In Love With Freddie
by Miss Graphic T-Shirts
Summary: It's official. I belong in the crazy hut. How can I, Sam Puckett, of all people, be in love with the one and only Freddie Benson? Through mental derangement... that's how.
1. iLost My Mind

**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly... or Seddie... or any other things resembling upcoming or previous iCarly episodes. *she says with a downcast face***

* * *

><p>I sat on the now familiar bed of Troubled Waters Mental Hospital, eating my ham and cheese sandwich. For crazy people food, it wasn't too bad. Caleb was shouting outside my door about the future and what it held for us.<p>

"SHUT UP CALEB!" I yelled.

"Don't deny the future, Sam!" he yelled back.

I rolled my eyes and went back to eating my sandwich. I looked around my room a little bit. There was a large desk in the corner that was cluttered with art supplies and paintings. A little bit away from the desk was a rolling art supply cart filled with more art supplies, and on the other side of the bed was a painting that I had started working on since I checked in here.

A knock came at my door.

"What?" I yelled.

"Sam, its Freddie, can I come in?"

I sighed.

"Sure." I finally said, but then added under my breath, "I'm already crazy."

He opened the door and then came in. "Hey."

"Hey Benson, how's life?" I said, still picking at my sandwich.

"Okay." He said with a shrug.

"How about them Cobras?" I tried.

"Well they're pretty good this season and-," he started. "Okay no, can we talk about the kiss?"

He walked around to the side of the bed and I looked up from my sandwich.

"What?" I said.

"Why'd you do it?" he asked simply. "And why are you in this crazy hut where my mother belongs?"

"Your whole mood app thing already showed you why I did it. And I'm in the crazy hut, for obvious reasons. I'm crazy."

"You're not crazy, Sam." He said. "Abusive maybe… but not crazy."

"Abusive is a form of crazy you diphthong." I said, giving him a look.

"That's not the point." He said.

"Then what is the point?" I said, putting down my sandwich and rolling over to the other side of the bed and standing up. "Can you just leave already?"

"I'm not leaving until we work things out." He said, walking around so that we faced each other.

"What is there to work out, Benson?" I yelled. "That's right, there's nothing to work out. So leave, Benson. And get out of my crazy hut."

"For the last time, Sam, you're not crazy!" he yelled back, grabbing my arms. "You're perfectly fine."

"Then why am I in here?" I retorted. "Got an answer to that one?"

"Because you put yourself in here." He said, still holding onto my arms.

"Let go of my arms, Benson." I struggled.

"No, Sam. I won't. I care about you and you don't belong in here!" he said quickly. He released his grip suddenly and stepped back.

"You care about me?"

"You may be a blond-headed demon, Sam, but you're still one of my best friends. And I think that you want more then that."

"Well you're wrong." I said, giving a dramatic shrug.

"Am I?" he asked.

"Yeah, Benson you are."

"That's cool, then." He said, walking towards the door. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I'll pick you up at eight." He said with a smirk. "Oh and Sam?"

"W-what?" I found myself stuttering.

He smiled. "Love you too."

"Wait, Benson!" I called as he left the room. "Freddie, we are so not done talking about this! Since when do you walk away from ME?"

But he was already gone, and I was yelling at the closed brown door. A date? With Fredison Benson, nonetheless? And then he cares about me, and tells me he loves me? What the chizz was this all about? But wasn't this what I've been wanting? What I had been working for throughout the whole lock-in?

I slapped my forehead and stood there in the middle of the room, pacing when the door opened again.

"Sam?"

"Thanks for knocking, Carls." I said.

"You never knock on my door when you come to my house." She said with a raised eyebrow. "You seem kinda… chizzy."

"I am chizzy." I snapped back.

"Okay… calm down." She said. "What happened?"

"Freddie was just here and we had this argument and now… now we're going on a date."

"Date?" she said her eyes getting big.

"Yeah… tomorrow."

She blinked a few times and then started shouting, "SAM LOVES FREDDIE! SAM LOVES FREDDIE!"

I lunged at her and tried to calm her down but she kept yelling it. "SAM LOVES FREDDIE! SAM LOVES FREDDIE!" I slapped my hand across her mouth and she kept trying to yell it, but it only came out as mumbled words.

"Stop saying that!" I said. "People will hear!"

She broke free of my grasp, "So you DO love him!"

"No, I don't love Freddie." I tried reasoning. "I don't love him."

"But the app…" she said. "And I saw you two kiss!"

"That doesn't matter!" I said pushing past her and then going out the door.

"Sam! Sam!" Carly said, following me. "Sam! Come on!"

She chased me all the way down to the main lobby where other mental patients lingered with one another doing other arts and crafts and eating.

"You so love him!" Carly yelled. "Just admit that you love Freddie Benson!"

"I don't!" I said adamantly.

"Sam, I told you this once before when I thought you were in love with Brad. He's a good guy. He's polite, he's nice, you're going on a date with him…"

"We had our first kiss together…" I found myself adding.

She looked at me with a face that clearly said, "DUH!"

"Arghh!" I yelled. "Have I lost my mind?"

And then I stalked away.


	2. iGo On A Date

The next day, I found myself pacing back and forth across my room. What if he stands me up and it's all a joke? Or what if it's real? Then what'll I do? Where is he taking me? What will I wear?

Why was I obsessing?

It was just Freddie, right? My best friend, my perfect little punching bag, the person I shared my first kiss with.

Freddie.

How could I be so nervous? Was it because I actually liked him this time, and it wasn't just some on the whim thing?

I found my phone and dialed Carly's number.

"Hey Sam, what's up?" she asked.

"Carls, I need to borrow one of your girly dresses." I said simply.

"A dress? Oo la la." She replied.

"Shut up okay? Please just bring me a dress." I pleaded.

"Fine. I'll be there in ten."

She hung up and then I threw my phone down on the bed. A dress? Okay, I really have lost my mind. I NEVER wear dresses. Well… like that Bieber kid always says… never say never.

When Carly arrived ten minutes later, dresses, not just a dress, in tote, my nerves were even more jacked. She handed me one of the sparkly things and I slipped it on and she fixed my hair a little bit.

"Awesome." She said. "Just wait till he lays your eyes on you."

"Can you come with us?" I asked. "Carly, I don't want to be with him alone. Especially on a date."

"You're the one that agreed to it." She pointed out.

"Not really." I contradicted.

"But it'll ruin the moment." She tried.

"Car-ly!"

She sighed. "What's the magic word?"

"Please?" I sighed back.

"So…?"

"Carly, please come with us." I droned.

"Fine. I'll get a table in the back." She said. "But why am I going again?"

"Because… if we have a fight, you can settle it and that proves that we're all wrong for each other." I said quickly.

She narrowed her eyes. "Fine. Give me of those dresses."

* * *

><p>When a knock came at my door at precisely eight, I opened it and saw Freddie in a blue Oxford shirt and plaid tie. Plaid, not stripes.<p>

"Hi." I said, smoothing out my dress.

"You look… amazing." He said.

"Uh… thanks. You... too." I said, gesturing to him.

An awkward pause.

"So… are we gonna go or what?" I asked.

"Yeah, yeah…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's go."

"Petrozinni's?" I asked when we got to the restaurant.

"Too fancy?" he asked.

"No… no it's fine." I said as we walked in and got seated. We sat down on either sides of the booth and waited for our waiter to come take our order.

"Um, Sam…?" he asked then.

"Yeah?"

"Why is Carly sitting at a table behind us, snooping over a menu?" he said, gesturing to Carly's table.

I looked around and she hid quickly behind her menu.

"Could you be any LESS discrete?" I whisper-yelled to her.

"Sorry!" she whisper-yelled back.

Freddie cleared his throat. "So why is she here?"

"Um…." I stuttered. "Um…."

"Um…?"

"I wanted her here in case we had a fight so she could settle it… in case it turns out that the date doesn't go well." I explained like I had to Carly.

"Oh…" he said. "Good idea."

I nodded and the waiter came and took our order. We both ended up getting chicken parmesan. We talked a little bit until our food came and we dug in.

"Ohhh…" I said taking a bite of the food. "So good. So, so good."

"Oh my gosh, yes." Freddie agreed, taking a bite of his.

We continued to glom over our food until halfway through when Carly interrupted.

"So I'm just supposed to sit here and wait for you guys to have a fight so I can settle it?" she asked.

Freddie cocked and eyebrow at her and I just laughed.

"Pretty much." I said.

"We'd really appreciate that." He added.

She rolled her eyes and went back to surveying her silverware.

Turns out, we didn't have one fight all night. Not even as we all parted ways, Carly to her apartment and Freddie and I back to the mental hospital. We walked comfortably back, making small talk, and when we reached my door, it was then that I realized I didn't want the night to end.

"So… thanks for tonight." I said, fidgeting with the doorknob.

"It's cool…. I… had a fun time." He said.

I nodded.

"So, we can do this again? Hang out?" he asked.

"Uh yeah… if you want to." I said with a shrug.

"Well do you want to?"

"Yeah…" I said simply. "Sure. I'd like that."

"So tomorrow?" he inquired.

"Yeah… we can hang out tomorrow here. I can only go out once a week here." I said.

"You know, Sam, you can check yourself outta here. You're not mental."

"I'd beg to differ." I mumbled.

"Why? 'Cause you like me?" he asked, not harsh but gently. "After all the years we hated each other?"

"Maybe…"

"That doesn't make you mental, Sam." He said, taking my free hand. "It just means you had a change of heart. There's nothing wrong with liking someone. Especially when the person likes you back."

"You…?"

"Yeah," he said with a shrug. "I guess I've had a soft spot for you too."

I blinked a few times in astonishment.

"Check out soon, okay? And see if we can get my mom into this place." He smirked.

"Sure thing." I said, opening the door. "Thanks again, Freddie."

And then I let go of his hand and went inside, closing the door behind me and leaning up against it.

Best. Night. Ever.


	3. iAgree

That night, I went to sleep peacefully and beautifully. I didn't even bother to change out of my dress. But when I dreamt, I found myself not dreaming of the typical all you can eat meat buffets, or of towers of Fat Cakes all for me. No, I was dreaming of something far more out of my league. I was dreaming of Freddie. And I. Together.

I replayed the scene of our date in my head at least a thousand times. The poor replay button in my dreams was being terribly abused. Was I thinking of this date so much? And thinking of him so much? The way his hair looked, the way his shirt fit his new muscles so well, and the way his chocolate brown eyes made me want to melt.

I really have lost my mind, haven't I?

I would've kept dreaming of these newly pleasant thoughts, but then a vague sound seemed to come into my dreams; the sound of my ringtone. I ignored it but it kept persisting, and getting louder with each ring. So eventually, I woke myself up from my beautiful dreams and looked over at my phone, which was vibrating like my rabid cat after he tried a sip of my mom's coffee.

I grabbed it and pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" I answered in a sleepy daze.

"SAM!" Carly's voice rang out. "Finally you answer after my tenth time calling!"

"Well excuse me for sleeping like the normal people." I said, brushing my messy hair from my eyes.

"It's two o'clock in the afternoon!" she exclaimed.

Oh… guess I'd been dreaming of Freddie longer than I thought.

"Well I was dreaming of…" I said without thinking.

"Dreaming of what?" Carly said with a chuckle. "Bacon?"

"Uh yeah…" I said, concealing the truth. "Canadian bacon… it's good stuff."

Carly laughed. "Okay enough nonsense. How was your date?"

"Carly, you were THERE." I said.

"Whatever. I mean AFTER I left." She said. "Tell me! Tell me!"

"We just walked back to the crazy hut. He dropped me off, said goodnight, and then I fell asleep." I explained quickly.

"Well are you guys gonna go out again?" she persisted.

"I dunno. Maybe." I said. "Bye Carly!"

"Sam! Sam!" she tried.

But I had already hung up. I put my phone back down and then got up and picked some clothes out from under my bed, slipping them on in place of my dress. I ran my fingers through my hair and then got up and lazily brushed my teeth, just enough to get the morning… or to be specific, afternoon breath, off my taste buds.

Just as I finished, a knock came at the door.

"Who is it?" I called.

"It's Freddie." The voice called back.

Oh my God… he's here? I look like a train wreck! Wait… why do I care?

"Come in." I said, going back towards my bed.

"Hey." He said once he was inside.

"Hey." I replied.

"So," he said, putting his hands in his pockets. "I got you something."

I looked up at him then. "What?"

"Well don't look at me like that. It's not something bad." He said, cowering back a little. "But I could totally take you."

"Whatever saves your pride." I chuckled. "Anyways, what you bring?"

"Your…" he paused for dramatic effect before pulling a plastic bracelet from his pocket. "Get out of jail free card!"

"What?" I asked.

"Get out of jail free card." He repeated. "I checked you outta this place." He paused. "And took a brochure in case my mom gets any crazier than she already is."

"You… you checked me out of this place?" I said.

"Uh yeah…" he said slowly.

"Freddie…" I started, getting ready to pound his face in.

He slowly backed towards the door, but instead of pounding his face in, I found myself hugging him. Yes. Me HUGGING Freddie!

"Um, what was that for?" he said after I pulled away from him.

"Uh… thanks, I guess." I said, taking the bracelet. "Um, so are we leaving now?"

"If you want." He replied.

"Well, I need to pack, so I'll meet you downstairs in a few." I said, turning towards my mess of a room.

"Yeah… see you in a few." He said finally before leaving the room.

I heaved out a big breath and then went and started gathering up my clothes and put them on top of my bed. I found a Troubled Waters Mental Hospital bag in one of the drawers of my desk and I shook it out and stuffed all my clothes inside it, as well as my toothpaste and toothbrush and hairbrush. I decided to leave my art there for the next patient.

I grabbed the bag and hoisted it up onto my shoulder. I looked around the room a little bit more, and then parted ways with my personal crazy hut. As I walked down towards the lobby, patients saw me leaving and waved and yelled goodbye and Caleb called out something about the future holding good things for me.

"Good to know!" I yelled back before going into the main lobby, where Freddie was standing by the main desk.

He saw me coming and smiled. "All set?"

"Uh yeah." I said. "I'll meet you outside."

He nodded and then walked out of the doors of the hospital. I took another deep breath before getting ready to head outside, when Flora the receptionist called out to me.

"Sammy!" she called.

"Yeah, Flora?" I replied.

"Stay grounded, alright?" she said in her grandmotherly tone. "You picked a good boy."

"What?" I said.

"You picked a good boy." She repeated. "That brown haired fellow. He's a good one. Keep him around ya, alright?"

"Well we're not dating…" I said.

She smiled in her secretive way. "Alright, Sam dear, whatever you say."

And then I walked out of the mental hospital.

"All set?" he asked when I walked out.

"Yeah…"

"Want to go to Bushwell? Carly probably wants to catch up with you." He suggested.

"Sure." I said with a shrug.

We walked in silence away from the hospital, down the roads and along the sidewalks until we reached the crosswalk across from the big apartment complex. Without hesitation, he grabbed my hand and towed me across the street, dodging the quick paced cars.

But when we crossed, he didn't let go. I didn't let go. I didn't want him to let go. Not one bit.

I didn't say anything as we went into the main elevator, and went all the way up to his and Carly's floor. We stopped in front of Carly's apartment, and that was when he noticed that our fingers were intertwined… how perfectly they were knotted together.

"Uh, sorry." He said, taking away his hand.

"It's… cool." I replied.

We stood there in silence for a little bit before I finally said what was on my mind.

"Freddie, are we dating?"

He looked a little shocked by the question but then quickly recovered.

"Um… I don't know, are we?"

"Why do you think I asked you, tech nerd?"

He chuckled but then got serious. "Do you want to?"

I scuffed my foot on the carpet and didn't say anything.

"Sam," he said gently. "If you want to… just say so."

I still stayed silent but then he took my hand again.

"I want to." He said simply. "I want to give it a try."

"You do?" I said, in a softer and quieter tone than I'm used to myself using.

"Well yeah." He said. "I do."

I took a deep breath. "Fine then." I paused. "But we're not telling Carly."

He thought and then nodded. "Okay."

We stood in silence for a little bit more until he took his hand back again.

"Well… I got to do." He said awkwardly, looking towards his apartment for a moment and then back at me. "I'll see you around… girl…friend."

"You too." I said as he walked to his apartment. "Boyfriend."

And then he disappeared inside his apartment, and I converged onto Carly's.

And the only thought that ran through my mind, even as Spencer and Carly showered me with hugs, was _"What have I gotten myself into?"_


	4. iCan't Take It

For the next couple of times we got together when Carly was around, Freddie and I were extremely careful about any physical contact we had with each other. Carly looked at us suspiciously sometimes, because we would avoid each other when she was around, but there were secretive looks, and knowing gazes.

One day when Freddie had left to get something with his mom, Carly confronted me.

"Why are you and Freddie acting so weird?" she asked as she poured herself some of her homemade iced tea.

"What do you mean?" I contradicted.

"You guys like… avoid each other. And you're all like… careful." She said, taking a sip.

"Oh that…" I replied. "Things just… didn't work out."

"What do _you _mean?" she asked, repeating my previous words.

"We just decided it was… better to not have that kind of relationship."

"But your date went so well!"

"Well yeah, but we just decided to stay friends. I think its best. We've known each other too long… and besides, it's Freddie. And it'll interfere with iCarly and give all those "Seddie" shippers something to get worked up over." I said, coming up with a few random excuses.

Note to self: Remember to tell Freddie those later so that if Carly asks him, we'll have the same story.

Wait… I'll just text him.

"I'll be right back." I said. "Gotta pee."

"Have fun." She chuckled.

I ran off into the bathroom and knocked to make sure Spencer wasn't showering or anything and then went inside and locked the door behind me. I took out my phone and opened up a new text to Freddie.

_**To: Freddie**_

_**warning: carly mite ask u l8er y we r avoiding eachother**_

_** From: Freddie**_

_** well what did u tell her?**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**known eachother 2 long, interfere with icarly, give the seddie freaks something 2 get worked up ovr… oh and that its u**_

_** From: Freddie**_

_** hey! **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**shut up u kno i sed it 2 get her off my back. **_

_** From: Freddie**_

_** i kno ;) good reasons **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ikr? g2g carls thinx im peein**_

_** From: Freddie**_

_** deliteful ttyl  
><strong>_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ur such a sap peace out fredison **_

I shut my phone off and stuck it back in my pants pocket and then went back outside to Carly.

"Sorry, must've drunk a lot of water." I said.

"I don't wanna know." She said with a roll of her eyes. "Let's go come up with ideas for iCarly."

"Ugh," I sighed. "Work."

"Come on," she said, dragging me upstairs to the studio. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>Later, as we were coming up with a final idea, Freddie showed up to do some maintenance on the site.<p>

"Hola chicas." He said, coming into the studio.

"Hey Freddie," Carly said.

"Fredward." I said simply.

He gave me a fake angry look and then went to his computer. Carly and him talked for a few minutes and he gave a few discrete looks in my direction, telling me that she wished she would leave.

And then by perfect timing, Carly announced, "You know what this little shindig needs? Lemonade." And then she went out of the room calling, "Be right back!"

Freddie craned his head and waited until he was fully around the corner before going over to me and picking me up in a spinny-hug thing.

"Geez, when did you get so strong?" I said, fake punching his bicep once he put me down.

"You know I work out, right?" he said, flexing his muscles.

I laughed. "But you'll never be as strong as Mama."

"Someday." He said playfully. "Someday I will take you."

I laughed again. "Sure, Freddie. Sure you will."

He smiled and we just stood there, looking at each other, before he took my hand.

"I really wish we didn't have to keep this a secret."

"You know we can't tell Carly. She'll go all obsessive."

"Yeah… I know." He said.

But just then, the door opened. "Sorry guys, I'm out of lemon-," but then she laid eyes on us. "What the heck?"

We ripped our hands apart and jumped to opposite sides of the room.

"What is going on?" Carly asked from the doorway.

"Nothing." Freddie and I both said at the same time.

"Really? Nothing? If it's "nothing" then why are you two… holding hands and gazing lovingly at eachother?" Carly questioned.

Freddie and I looked at each other with the same fear in our eyes.

"You promised no more secrets!" Carly shouted. "Both of you! And now you go behind my back? Again?"

"Looks like you got your wish, Fredison." I said.

Freddie rubbed the back of his neck. "All too soon, I guess."

"What wish?" Carly continued to question. "What is…" she gave some wild hand gestures at the both of us. "What is all of this?"

We stayed silent… uncomfortably silent.

"Carly, it really is nothing." I said, walking forward.

"Yeah," Freddie said, doing the same. "It isn't what you think."

"Oh really?" she said, walking to us. "If nothing is going on, then stare at each other for one whole minute without… without… kissing each other."

I raised my eyebrow. "That's your big challenge? That we don't kiss each other for a whole minute?"

"While staring at each other with direct eye contact." She added. "And just to be sure…" she faced us toward each other and then stood in the middle off to the side like a referee would. "There."

"So what, we just stare at each other without kissing each other for one minute?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah. If you can do that, then I guess nothing is going on." She said simply. "Your minute starts now."

I rolled my eyes. "Carly, this is so-,"

"Your minute is started! Stare at Freddie!"

"Fine." I said simply, turning my gaze to Freddie. "I'm staring at him."

"And I at her." Freddie replied.

And there we stood, staring at each other while Carly timed us, correcting our gaze every now and then so that we were staring at each other with full on directness. I tapped my foot anxiously. Will this minute be over already? Why was this so hard? Looking into his eyes for this long, I wanted to kiss him more and more with each passing second.

"Ten seconds left." She announced.

I inhaled and exhaled a few times, but just as she was announcing the five second mark, I couldn't take it anymore and I grabbed onto his shoulders and kissed him in front of Carly, right there, for the remaining seconds.

As we pulled apart, Carly stepped in.

"I knew it!" she said, pointing to me and then to Freddie. "I knew something was going on! Since when have you cared about the shippers? Or interfering with iCarly? I knew that you two liked each other especially after that date!"

"Would it make you feel better if you slapped our hands?" I asked, extending my hand, and Freddie extending his head.

She darted her gaze back and forth between us and our hands and then slapped them. "There!"

"All good now?" Freddie asked.

"No. Why did you guys keep it a secret for this long?"

"It's only been like a week, Carly." I tried.

"Even still! A whole week!" she fumed.

"A week isn't that much." I explained.

"It's still a week that I didn't know what was going on with my two best friends!" she said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because we knew you'd have a conniption fit." Freddie said. "We just want to have a relationship where you're not all up in our business."

She crossed her arms. "Okay fine, I won't do that."

"And you're okay with the physical contact?" I asked, taking Freddie's hand and intertwining it with mine and then showing it to Carly.

"I guess." She said. "But I'm still angry with you."

"Really, Carly?" I said, giving her a look.

She paused for a moment before exclaiming, "No! How can I be? My two best friends finally see the light!"


	5. iKeep It Personal

"What do you mean we've seen the light?" I asked when Carly stopped hugging us.

"Oh um… nothing." Carly said.

"Carly..." I warned.

"I just think you two look cute together!" she said quickly, cowering back in fear.

I looked at Freddie and then at Carly who opened one eye back open slightly to make sure I wasn't going to punch her.

"Relax." I said. "I'm already going out with the nub, so I won't punch you."

Freddie chuckled. "With this one, I'm drowned in compliments. Anyways, I need to head, but I'll see both of you tomorrow."

He kissed me on the cheek and then whispered, "Text me." in my ear.

I nodded and he waved to Carly before exiting the studio.

Carly turned to me. "Can I say it now?"

I sighed and then crossed my arms. "Go ahead."

She squealed and then began dancing and jumping around. "SAM LOVES FREDDIE! SAM LOVES FREDDIE!"

After about two minutes of this, she got tired and stopped.

"Hey, do you… want to… sleep over… tonight?" she asked while catching her breath.

"Do you still have my backup clothes here? Because I'm not going home. My mom got another new bikini." I said.

"Yeah." She said. "On the floor of my closet."

"Then yeah, why not?" I said with a shrug.

"Awesome." She said. "Now let's go. Maybe Spencer will take us to dinner somewhere."

* * *

><p>The next morning, I woke up to the smell of crispy bacon.<p>

"Carly?" I asked.

"Yeah?" she asked, rolling over in her sleeping bag.

"Do I smell bacon, or do I need to go back to Troubled Waters?"

"Yeah… Spencer got some more Canadian bacon yesterday."

"Awesome. I'm going to get dressed." I said, getting out of my sleeping bag that Carly and Spencer had loaned me.

"Yup." She said, rolling back over.

I opened the door to the iCarly studio and went down to the second floor into Carly's room. I pressed the button to her closet and it opened and sure enough, on the floor of her closet, was my clothes all folded up nice. Classic Carly.

I took my loaned pair of pajamas off and then replaced them with my backup clothes, a red and white sweater and a pair of jeans. Whoa, wait a sec, was this sweater stripes? Since when had I started wearing stripes?

I shrugged it off and then tossed the pajamas back into the bottom of the closet. As the bacon smell got heavier, I went downstairs to the kitchen where sure enough, Spencer was cooking.

"Hey Spence." I said. "Cooking up some Canadian bacon?"

"True dat." He said, flipping the huge pieces of bacon up in the air, with two of the pieces coming back down, and one sticking to the ceiling.

"How does that happen?" he asked looking up at the ceiling.

But just then, the bacon slid from the ceiling and BAM! whacked him right in the face.

"Aw Butterballs!" he said with frustration, peeling the contaminated bacon off his face and throwing it in the trash. "Hey, do me a favor and tell Carly that the bacon's ready."

"Gots it." I said. I went back up to the iCarly studio where Carly was still sleeping. I could wake her up nicely, or I could wake her up with persistence and yelling.

I decided to go for option B.

Mama wanted that bacon _now_.

"Carly!" I yelled. "Wake up!"

"Meaahh." She groaned.

"Carly!"

Nothing.

"Carly!"

Still nothing.

"Carlotta Shay!"

"I'm up!" she said, sitting up angrily in her sleeping bag. "What?"

I smirked. "Bacon's ready."

* * *

><p>After eating and after Carly finished getting ready, we decided to chill downstairs for a little bit and watch TV. About halfway through the episode of Girly Cow, Carly turned to me.<p>

"Can you get us some Wahoo Punch?" she asked.

"Why don't _you _get it?" I asked, poking her stomach.

"Because I want _you_ to, Miss Let's-Yell-At-Carly-Until-She-Wakes-Up." She replied, poking me right back.

I sighed. "Fine. I'll get the Wahoo Punch."

I got up from the couch and went over to the fridge and grabbed two cans of the beverage.

"Carly catch!" I yelled.

She got up from the couch and stood near the computer and I threw the can to her, which she caught effortlessly.

"Getting better at the catching." I complimented, opening my can.

"Why thank you." She said, doing the same and then taking a drink. "Ahh…"

As I finished taking my own sip, I realized that the couch was far back, and there was a grass rug in the middle of the living room… with a lawn mower. How could I not have noticed that?

"Um, Carly?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"What's with the grass?" I asked, pointing to the sight.

She craned her head, shrugged and then walked into the kitchen to put her drink down. "I don't know. Probably something that Spencer's working on."

"Nice." I said, putting down my own drink as Carly walked back over to where she was standing before.

Just then, the door opened and in walked Freddie.

"Bienvenidos." He said in his random Spanish talk.

"Hola." We both replied.

He caught sight of me and we walked over to each other and he placed his hands on either side of my waist and I placed my hands on his shoulders and he kissed me, a smile on both our faces, while Carly just watched with a smile on her own face.

"Morning." He said once we pulled apart.

"Morning." I replied.

"Awww." Carly chimed in.

We both looked at her and she just shrugged innocently.

"What? You expect me to ignore all your random acts of affection?" she asked.

I just shook my head and Freddie took my hand.

"What are you guys watching?" he asked.

"Girly Cow." I replied.

"Nice." He said. "Anyways, I'm just gonna go do some more maintenance on the iCarly site while you two be all best-friend-ish. See ya." He said before kissing my cheek and then jogging up the stairs.

"Ooo, Freddie loves Sam, Freddie loves Sam," Carly chanted while doing a tiny little dance.

"Be done, will you?" I said, going back over to the couch. "And so what if he loves me?"

"It's a big thing!" she said, sitting down next to me. "A REALLY big thing!"

"Not really." I said with a shrug.

"Yeah, really!" she continued to contradict.

"Whatever. Freddie and I's… love status is for us. A personal thing, okay? So just… leave it be, alright?"


	6. iText

_**To: Freddie**_

_**evening, fredison**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**evening, princess puckett ;)**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**stop callin me tht its girly**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**well then wht should I call u, hm?**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**idk just not tht**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**but ur my princess ;)**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**sap**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**u kno u luv it **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**i suppose i do**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**suppose? even thru a txt i can read u like a book**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ok fine I luv it**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**thought so ;)**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**u make tht face a lot**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**wht? this ;)?**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ya tht**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**cause u turn me on ;) hehe**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ur so weird but I luv tht about u 2**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**thts rite. u luv my weirdness, i luv ur abusiveness. its how this relationship works**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**:P**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**oo the infamous "colon p" **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**bahaha **_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**dude no way my mom just txted me**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**no way wht did she want?**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**wanted 2 kno if i had enough anti-tick lotion :PP **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**u got that brochure for the crazy hut rite?**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**yup and im seriously considering checkin her in**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**i don't think any1 would mind…**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**ikr? then i could live by myself**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**ya cause tht worked out so well the 1st time**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**haha very funny**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**i try**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**so wht were u and carly talkin about wen i went upstairs?**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**she wanted 2 kno our "luv status"**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**our WHAT?**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**our "luv status" technically I came up with tht term but she just like kept sayin how we luved eachother and stuff and how it was a big deal**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**but isn't it? Cause i do luv u. id put a hart but tht key doesnt work**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**i get it. And i luv u 2 but does she need 2 kno all tht?**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**i guess not. ur rite. Anyways, i hav 2 work on hw, even tho i would rather txt u :(**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**well then u should txt me :)**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**nah u cant rub off on me THT much. luv u sam :***_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**luv u 2 freddie :* **_


	7. iAm Different Around Him

_**supertech has signed in**_

_**meatlover94 has signed in **_

supertech: why hello there, meat lover :)

meatlover94: good day super tech :)

supertech: and how is my beautiful meat lover this wonderful day?

meatlover94: meat lover is good. And how is my super tech?

supertech: super tech is cool :)

meatlover94: ok can we stop talkin like the british at hi tea?

supertech: yeah hahah why were we talkin like that anyways

meatlover94: cause were awesome

supertech: true that where r u rite now?

meatlover94: my room on my laptop. moms downstairs with another italian dude

supertech: gross

meatlover94: ikr? where r U rite now?

supertech: carly's. she thinks im doing maintenance hehehe

meatlover94: and ur sure im not rubbing off on u? ;)

supertech: nah u r… just a lil :)

meatlover94: aw i feel so loved

supertech: u r loved. by ME!

meatlover94: dork :P

supertech: u love this dork

meatlover94: that i do

supertech: called it! so i was thinkin maybe we could go out tonight? withOUT carly this time?

meatlover94: just the 2 of us?

supertech: if thats alright with u?

meatlover94: yeah to where?

supertech: where do u want to go?

meatlover94: the park

supertech: the park?

meatlover94: yeah the park. do u have somethin against parks?

supertech: noo but i was thinkin u were gonna choose like an all u can eat meat buffet

meatlover94: THEY HAVE THOSE?

supertech: hahaha i figured that u would be the one 2 know where 1 was

meatlover94: true, true

supertech: so ill pick u up at 7?

meatlover94: sure thing. ill meet u outside my door. u shouldn't have to suffer lookin at my mom and her male companion :P

supertech: i appreciate that greatly. see you then :)

meatlover94: see you :)

_**s**__**upertech has signed off**_

_**m**__**eatlover94 has signed off**_

* * *

><p>When it was nearing on seven, I went downstairs and hid behind the kitchen counter until Freddie showed up. Why was I hiding, you may ask? Do you think I really wanted to watch my mom suck face and chant in Italian to some random dude on our couch? No, no I did not. Finally, when seven struck, a knock came at the door. Thank God for my dork being precise.<p>

"Don't get up to get the door or anything, Mom. You look pretty busy with Bruno over there." I said sarcastically as I went to the door.

"Thanks, Sammy." She said, breaking lip contact for a second. "You're so good to me. But this is Vincenzo. Bruno was my last boyfriend."

"Oh, my bad." I said, attitude dripping from my tongue. "And boyfriend? You guys have barely known each other for fifteen seconds. All you've been doing is sucking face."

"You know full well that some of my best relationships start in fifteen seconds!" she said. "Like this hunky monkey right here."

And they went back to smacking and chapping. I can't even BEGIN to tell you how gross it looked, let alone sounded. I quickly slipped out the door and then dragged Freddie off our porch.

"Hello to you, too." He said when we made it to the end of the driveway.

"Sorry, had to get as far away from that scene as I could." I replied. "Set to go?"

"Most definitely." He replied, extending his hand. "Shall we?"

"We shall." I accepted, taking his hand in mine.

We turned out of my driveway and onto the deserted sidewalk towards the park down the road. The night was cold, but not too cold, just cold enough, you know what I mean? Early stars hung high in the sky, and a small and wispy moon centered them. Before I knew it, we had reached the park without a single word uttered. There was a lake off in the distance and we walked down to it and sat on the grass hill just above the bank.

"Beautiful night," Freddie said, looking around at the sight of the deserted park.

"Yeah. It is." I replied.

"Nice place you picked, too." He added.

"Yeah… I liked to come here to think sometimes. When my mom is being all… the way she is."

"I should try that sometime." He said. "If she'll let me out of the house."

I laughed a little. Somehow, I found a new carefree openness with Freddie. It was like he got me. Both our dads were out of our lives, our mothers were both crazy; his in the over-protective sense and mine in the never-protective sense, and we just felt good around each other. Before I had fallen for him, things were always tense. But maybe that's because I only saw the surface of things. I only saw his love for all things technology, and he only saw my abusive, rough and tough girl nature. We never saw how much we were almost… alike in a way. He made me feel softer, like I didn't have to be so tough. It felt different, but nice at the same time.

Just then, a cold wind brushed past us, and goosebumps layered on my skin and I shivered.

"Here," he said, taking off his hoodie and handing it to me. "Take it."

"Won't you be cold?" I asked.

"Nah, I'm the guy. I'll tough it up." He said with a shrug. "Go on, take it."

I took his hoodie and slipped it on and suddenly, the goosebumps melted away and I instantly felt warmer.

"And just for good measure," he said, wrapping his arm around me and pulling me in close to him. "Now you'll definitely be warm."

I smiled a little and rested my head on his shoulder. "See any constellations?"

He looked up at the sky for a moment before shaking his head. "You know, in all honesty, I don't really pay attention to constellations. I like to… make my own shapes."

"Like what?" I asked.

He took his finger and traced an outline among the stars. "See? I just drew a circle." He drew a different shape. "And now a square. Here, let's do one together."

He picked my hand up and adjusted my finger and then helped me trace a crazy mess of lines across the sky.

"What was that supposed to be?" I asked.

"I wrote something." He said.

"Well what did you write?"

"Here, I'll do it again." He said, picking up my hand again. "S-, E-, D-, D-, I-, E-," he dropped my hand. "Seddie."

I laughed a little. "Dork."

"Like I said before, you love this dork." He said, kissing my forehead.

"I know I do." I said simply.

* * *

><p>When it came to be nine o'clock, Freddie and I reluctantly headed back to my house to drop me off. We would've stayed out later, but his mom put down a curfew. When we got to my porch again, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me in for a long kiss that had to have lasted a solid twenty seconds.<p>

"Does your mom even know about us?" Freddie asked.

"No." I said. "I never get to tell her. And your mom?"

"She'd flip her lid." He said. "I mean if she flipped her lid with Carly…"

"I know… I get it." I said.

"I'll tell her eventually." He said. "But until then…" he kissed me once more. "It's just us."

I nodded.

"I've got to get back. But I had a lot of fun, Sam."

"We didn't really do anything."

"It was fun just being with you." He said, the sincerity in his eyes showing. "Goodnight."

He kissed my forehead and then jogged back down the porch steps towards the street.

"Night, Freddie." I whispered to myself.

What was it about him that always made me lose my words? My rough and tough exterior? Whenever we were with each other with Carly, I could keep it up, but with him alone? It was like I was a whole new person. And was it weird that I liked this person that I became around him? Vulnerable? Small? He was like my own personal protection. It felt good to be protected, especially when most times I was stuck defending myself.

I shrugged off the feeling and then went inside the house. All was quiet. I went down the hall towards my bedroom. As I was coming upon my mom's, I decided that I'd let her know I was home, even though she probably didn't even know I'd left.

I opened the door and she was passed out on her bed with Bruno or Vincenzo or whatever passed out next to her, snoring. I closed the door again and then went off to my room. I slammed the door shut and then sat down on my bed, tears falling from my eyes.

I don't cry often, but every time I see my mom with a new guy, especially totally buff ones like Bruno or Vincenzo or whatever, it breaks my heart because I know that she's completely forgotten about my dad. Sure he was lousy, and sure he decided to leave us and never come back, but he was still my DAD. I didn't mind her dating, or having relationships, but these guys weren't even her type... or age even. And then she just goes around and starts sleeping with them? It's like I'm not even there.

I tried to let the thoughts go as I turned off my table lamp and laid down in my existing clothes. It was then that I realized that I hadn't returned Freddie's sweatshirt.

It was still warm.

And it still smelt like his cologne.


	8. iTell The Crazy Lady

Before I knew it, Freddie and I had been together one month, two months, and now we were on three months. And school started tomorrow. That night, Freddie took me out to the Groovy Smoothie.

"Yo, T-Bo!" Freddie said as we walked into the smoothie joint. "Two Blueberry Blitzes!"

"B-Blitz!" he called back. "Whoa, are you too… TOGETHER?"

I laughed. "Yeah, we are."

"But where's C-Shay?"

"Home…" Freddie said as we sat down. "Sam and I are on a date…?"

"Date?" T-Bo said, nearly dropping his bucket of blueberries.

"Teebs, we've been dating for three months." Freddie said, holding up our intertwined hands.

"Is this another one of my visions?" he said. "Did you actually eat one of my tacos on a stick?"

"Um no…" I said. "Anyways… smoothies?"

"Yeah, uh… smoothies." He said to himself, fumbling to mix the drinks.

Freddie laughed. "It still befuddles people that we're together… even after three months."

"I know." I said. "And it feels weird when people ask me who I'm dating now, I'm all like 'I'm dating Freddie Benson' and they're all like 'What?' it's actually very amusing."

"I'm sure." He said with a light chuckle.

"Smoothies up." T-Bo said, putting our two cups on the counter.

Freddie got up and paid for them and then gave me my smoothie.

"To us." He said in classic Freddie fashion.

"Why not?" I asked, clunking our Styrofoam cups together and then taking a sip through the straw.

"Let's go back to my place." He said. "Chill there for a little."

"Sure." I said.

"See ya, T-Bo!" Freddie called back.

"Have… fun?" he called back at a loss of words.

I just laughed again. T-Bo was quite the character.

We walked out of the smoothie shop and back towards Bushwell, which was really just one street over. We crossed the street and then went inside in the main elevator and up to Freddie and Carly's floor. It felt weird actually going into Freddie's house and not Carly's. Had I ever even been inside Freddie's house?

He unlocked the door with a key from his pocket and we walked inside and threw our now finished smoothies in the trash. Everything was very clean and precise, and the theme was brown and white… like a mocha drink.

"Nice place." I said, looking around. "I'm surprised that the couches aren't wrapped in bubble wrap or something."

"Oh trust me they were," he said. "I literally had to fight my mother to get her to take it off."

"Well then." I said.

But then, speaking of Mrs. Crazy, she came around the corner.

"Freddie, I got you some more cloud block," she stopped in her tracks. "What is that _demon_ doing in my home?"

I blinked a few times. "Demon?"

Freddie could see the anger in my eyes and immediately leaned in and whispered to me, "Its okay, I got this, calm down."

I shook my hands out by my side and nodded. How was it that he could do that for me? Calm me down like that?

"Mom, Sam isn't a demon." He started. "She's always been one of my friends."

"You hated her!" she contradicted. "You've called her a demon!"

"That was before, Mom." He said, still in his calm voice.

"Before WHAT?" she said, her voice getting more shrill.

"Before I was dating her." He said, intertwining my fingers with his.

She blinked a few times and clenched and un-clenched her jaw.

"About time you told me." She said.

"What?" I asked. "Wait…you already knew?"

"Yes… that Gibby character told me." She replied.

"Darn that shirtless potato." I mumbled under my breath.

"Freddie, we need to speak immediately." She said quickly. "Say goodbye to Sam while we talk."

I turned my head towards him, ready to say goodbye but what he said I think startled me more than his mother.

"No." he said simply. "Anything you have to talk to me about can be said in front of Sam."

"Freddie!" she shrilled.

"If you want to talk, talk." He gestured on.

She inhaled and exhaled and then smoothed her pants. "I want you two to break up."

"WHAT?" we both exclaimed.

"You're too young for girls, Freddie. Let alone… demons like this one." She said, giving me a grimacing look.

"Don't… call her that." Freddie replied, his protection voice going full on. "She's not a demon, Mom. And I won't break up with her."

"Freddie, I DEMAND that you two break up!" she tried again

"Mom, I am seventeen years old and am going to be a senior in high school starting tomorrow. I can make my own choices, I have good judgment, and I love Sam. And I'm not going to break up with her just because you say so." He said simply, still holding my hand.

I can safely that Mrs. Crazy and I were equally shocked. For the first time that I've ever met the woman, I am pretty sure that she was at a loss for words.

"That's what I thought." He said simply. "Let's go, Sam. She obviously needs time to think of a way to apologize to you."

I blinked a few times. "Freddie, it really is okay. I mean… I'm used to it, I guess, and she was just in shock…"

Wait a second, was I DEFENDING Mrs. Benson?

"No, Sam, it's not okay. No one, including my mother, calls the girl I love a demon. Because your not. Especially when you're around me. We'll be back later."

And then he led me out of his apartment and across the hall to Carly's.

"Freddie, why did you do that?" I asked. "I mean, your mom is crazy… but…"

"But nothing." He said. "I love you Sam. When you love someone, you defend them. Plain and simple."

.


	9. iAm A Senior

That morning, Freddie, Carly, and I decided to walk to school together, which meant that I didn't get to sleep in and have my mom bring me halfway through the day. According to Carly, "it was a bad habit that needed to be canned", which is how we ended up at Skybucks before school.

"If you expect me to function like a normal person this early, then I need caffeine and lots of it." I said, taking another sip of my espresso, which sent a jolt of "WAKE UP DANG IT" through my veins.

"But you're going to have to take that with you on the road if you want to get to school on time," Carly said, standing up from the table we had been sitting at for maybe five or six minutes.

"Carly, relax, it's only like… seven forty-five." I said, taking another sip. "Assembly doesn't start until what…?" I turned to Freddie.

"Eight-thirty." He replied.

"Well don't you guys want to catch up with people?" she said. "You guys have barely seen anyone all summer except for each other and me."

"We'll be there in a little bit, okay?" Freddie said. "Give us a few minutes. We'll be along."

"Fine." She said. "But if you two are late, I'm not covering up for you!"

And with that, she hoisted her bag up higher and then walked out of Skybucks toward the direction of the school.

"Excited?" he asked when she had left.

"Excited?" I repeated with a chuckle. "For school? Are you sure you know me?"

"I'm pretty positive we've met once or twice." He said, kissing my temple. "But it's your senior year, Sam! You graduate high school in nine months!"

"Yeah, nine long, drawling, terrible, school-filled months." I said, taking another sip. "I'm lucky I even passed junior year. Forget graduating."

"You can do it. And now you have me to help you." He still tried.

"Whatever you say." I said. "Okay, now I have caffeine in my veins, and I need to walk it off. Let's go."

"Alright then." He said, standing up with me and grabbing our bags. "Here," he added, handing my trusty black and red plaid to me.

"Thanks." I said, throwing it over my shoulder with my spare hand. "Okay," I chugged the last bit of my espresso and then threw the cup away in the trash. "Let's go."

* * *

><p>When we got to the infamous Ridgeway, students milled around out front, talking and texting and such as we walked up the walkway towards the doors.<p>

"Hey Sam; Freddie." Some kids called.

"Sup?" I said back.

Did they even notice that Freddie and I were holding hands? That we were in extreme proximity to each other without mauling each other? We just continued to walk inside to the building, which still smelled like school; the smell the homework, teachers, and wedgies.

"Wow…" I said, looking around at the building with the typical posters reading not-so-catchy phrases like "Reading Is Cool To Stay In School!" and other ones like, "Be Kind And Use Your Mind!" and my personal favorite, "We Love Food A Bunch, But Save It For Lunch!"

"Didn't miss it too much?" he asked.

"Not one bit." I said.

"Sam!" Wendy said, coming over to us. "Dude, I haven't seen you all summer! How ya been?"

"Hey Wendy," I said simply. "I've been good."

"Cool," she said, and then looked down at me and Freddie's hands and then up to me and then to Freddie and then back to me. "Are you two…?"

"Yeah," I said with a shrug. "We are."

"Since WHEN?" she said in surprise.

"July 6th." Freddie replied with a smile.

She nodded. "Well I got to get going. I'll see you around."

And then she was off.

* * *

><p>"Sam, quit staring at Freddie." Carly nudged me.<p>

"What? I'm not staring at him." I said quickly.

"You so are." Carly said with another nudge.

"Shut up. Principal Franklin's talking." I said just to get off the topic of the conversation.

"Good morning, students." Principal Franklin said. "As many of you know, I am Principal Franklin. This year is going to be a great year for Ridgeway. Now, all of you should have gotten your schedules in the mail, and your homerooms and locker numbers are listed on that, so you can all be adjourned to your respective classrooms. Have a great day and cheers to the new school year!"

As he stepped down off the podium, teens got up from their seats and pushed their way around to the door.

"So we were called in here for that?" I asked to Carly as a few kids pushed past us.

"Guess so." She said with a shrug. "You do have your schedule, though, right?"

I zipped open my backpack and dug around threw its mess.

"Ah, here it… nope, never mind that's an old test from a year ago… that's a pencil, a drawing… here it is!" I finally said, pulling out a crinkled and torn piece of paper.

Carly rolled her eyes. "Where's your homeroom?"

I squinted and tried to re-arrange the tearing paper together. "I can't tell if this says room 11 or room 17."

"Sam, senior homerooms are upstairs… in the forties. Is that your freshman schedule?" she said, trying to piece stuff together.

"Oops." I said, looking at the school year at the top. "Yep… 2008-2009."

"Augh, Sam! Go to the school office and get a new one." She said. "I have to get to homeroom. Run or you'll be late!"

She shoved me along and I pushed past the other groups of high schoolers until I got out of the gym and went towards the school office. Oh the times I've had in this place.

The receptionist looked up at me. "Puckett? Already?"

"Relax, relax. I need my schedule. My rabid cat ate mine." I explained.

What? It wasn't _totally _a lie. Frothy eats a lot of non-edible items, of which a schedule could be one of them.

She rolled her eyes and then went through her computer a little bit before pulling up my schedule and printing it out. She handed it to me with narrowed eyes.

"Thanks." I said snatching up the schedule and looking over it quickly. I was in room 42 for homeroom.

I walked out of the office and then upstairs to the second floor where doors were just about to shut. I passed a few rooms… 45, 44, 43… and then came to 42 right as the door was about to shut.

"I'm here, I'm here." I said, slipping in before it shut.

"Have a seat, Miss Puckett." The teacher that I had never seen before said. She must've been new.

I took the only empty seat in the front by the window and set my bag down as the teacher droned on about classes and what to expect and all that stuff. I didn't even think I caught her name. She didn't write it on the board or anything so if I forget; it's her fault, not mine.

I looked around the room, filled with a bunch of kids in my grade that I didn't even know. No Carly, Freddie, Gibby, Wendy, Brad… no one. However when homeroom ended, it seemed that everyone knew me.

"Hey," a random guy said, coming up to me. "You're that blond chick on iCarly, right?"

"Uh yeah." I said. "But I have a name. It's Sam."

"Yeah, sure. Is the brunette dating anyone?" he asked.

I looked him up and down a little. Sandy hair, tan skin, tight polo shirt…

"Her name's Carly." I finally said. "And she'd hate you."

Then, when I walked downstairs for my first class, a group of giggly freshman girls were gawking from their lockers.

"Oh… my… God, guys that's Sam! That's Sam from iCarly! We go to school with the iCarly crew!"

I stopped and chuckled a little. "You guys want an autograph? It'll last longer than staring."

I was being sarcastic, but then a girl held out her arm with a sharpie.

"Can you sign my arm? It's Emily Franklin. E-M-I-L-Y." she said as I took the sharpie.

"Hey didn't we say happy birthday to you once with your dad on our show?" I asked as I signed her arm.

"Oh my gosh, you remember?" she gushed.

"Uh yeah. I guess." I said, handing her sharpie back. "Anyways, get to class or whatever."

"Okay!" she kept gushing as I walked away, and then I heard her add, "You guys here that? Sam Puckett remembers me! Sam Puckett knows my name!"


	10. iHave To Make A Good Impression

**OH MY GOSH! My readers are the most amazing people on the face of this planet! 2000 hits in just a couple of hours? Needless to say, I screamed to the heavens. And since you guys made me scream, here is an extra special chapter just for you! Oh and thank you so so so much for all the kind reviews. You guys make me smile more and more with each one, and I can't even describe my thanks and love towards you all. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!**

**Love, Miss Graphic T-Shirts  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"So," I asked Freddie as we settled down in the park for a picnic dinner. "How's Crazy taking everything?"<p>

"Well," he replied, putting his arm around me. "She's actually taking it pretty well. As long as I'm happy, I guess she's happy."

I nodded in agreement.

"Now what about this food?" he asked, looking around at the food he had brought.

"Dude, you brought chocolate covered strawberries?" I noticed, picking up one of the cold strawberries dipped with the delicious liquid chocolate.

"Just 'cause I'm a dude doesn't mean I can't cook." He said, picking up one of his own.

"Well I'd like to be the judge of that." I said matter-of-factly.

"Then open up."

I opened my mouth and he put part of the strawberry inside and I bit it off.

"Mm, oh my God, Freddie, how do you do that?" I asked, savoring the delectable taste.

"Mom had a family recipe book." He said with a shrug. "But you like it?"

"It's like taking a bite of heaven!" I said, swallowing the last bit.

"Well then I'm glad you like them." He replied.

I popped the strawberry I had been holding into my mouth and chewed it up.

"I like this." He said then. "Our little park dates."

"Me too," I said simply. "I like them too."

And then I found myself leaning into him and our lips touching and working into one of the most passionate kisses we'd had. My hand rested on his leg and his arm was still around me. How was it that every other kiss I had shared with a guy was never this good and never this rewarding? When we pulled apart, our foreheads stayed touching each other.

"I love you Sam." He said simply, his breath warm on my face.

"I love you too, Freddie." I replied. "And Freddie?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll last? Like… a long time?"

He smiled. "One step at a time."

* * *

><p>Typically, during the school year, time flowed like molasses. But this time… this school year, time was flowing like a rapid river. Before I knew it, it was October and Halloween was upon us, and then it was early November and then it was Thanksgiving break. The day before Thanksgiving, Freddie and I were sitting in his house talking when his mom came home from shopping.<p>

"Hello, Freddie." She said, coming in. "Sam."

"Hi Mrs. Benson." I replied as nice as I could. I had to least make some attempt to be nice to her if she was acting the least bit civil towards me. "Can I… help you with the groceries?"

"Sure," she said. "Oh and Freddie, I was wondering if maybe you could make sure your room is clean? We have guests coming tomorrow."

"Uh yeah, sure, I guess." He said, going to his room.

Once he was around the corner, Mrs. Benson turned to me. "Alright, Sam. I'll ask Freddie about this later, but since you and Freddie seem to be getting more… serious, I was wondering if you'd like to spend Thanksgiving… with our family."

I blinked a few times to register the question. "Thanksgiving?"

"Yes. I know you and your mom don't have the best relationship, so I thought that you could dine with us. I think it would give us an opportunity to know each other better." She said, starting to put some groceries away.

"That's very nice of you Mrs. Benson," I commented. "But I really don't want to oppose."

"No, no. I insist. I really think it would help me understand you more, and it would send my Freddie over the moon if you did. Our family and him don't mix well and having you there might make things… a little easier." She said.

"Well, I'd love to spend time with your family. That'd be… wonderful." I replied. "Thank you."

"Oh and Sam," she said, working on the last bag of groceries. "I must say, you have gotten very… polite. I was very wrong about you."

"Um… thank you." I said, startled by the sudden compliment. "I'll try to keep up to expectations then."

She smiled politely and then Freddie came back and took me back home.

* * *

><p>That night, sitting in my room, I felt slightly different. I had never had expectations to live up to. Was this really what I wanted? Did I want to be in cahoots with the whole Benson clan and not just Freddie? And typically, I had dinner with the Shay's, but would it offend them if I went over to the Benson's? Many thoughts ran through my head, so I decided to text Carly.<p>

_**To: Carly**_

_**hey carls what goes on**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**hey there stranger. havent talked 2 u in a while**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**sorry :(**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**nah i get it. whats up?**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**well mrs. benson asked if i wanted 2 hav turkey day dinner with freddie and his fam**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**y?**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**she sed it was 2 get 2 kno me better and stuff and 4 it 2 be easier on freddie. what do u think?**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**idk sam if u really want 2 then u should**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**i just dont want 2 push u away carls u kno ur my bff and always**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**i get it tho sam. ur in luv. do what u want**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**but r u sure?**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**sam dont worry about me. go hav fun with the bensons. ill ttyl k?**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**k bye…**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**bye**_

I flipped my phone shut and set it back down. Did that really settle any of my worries or thoughts? No. Was it just me or did Carly seem angry? It must've been just me. She doesn't get worked up about that kind of stuff, does she?

I picked my phone back up and decided to text Freddie.

_**To: Freddie**_

_**hey**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**hey there :)**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**whatcha up 2?**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**nm. doin some tech stuff. u? **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**chillin. textin u. if ur busy tho i understand:)**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**nah its nothin important. however its getting late and amandas comin in the morning :PPP**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**haha well u need a lot of energy to deal with icky cousin amanda. i will let u sleep. nite freddie :***_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**nite sam :* **_

I flipped my phone back shut and decided to follow Freddie's idea and go to bed. After all, I had to make a good impression tomorrow.


	11. iThanksgiving

That morning when I woke up, I immediately started getting ready. I didn't really know what to wear so I just decided on jeans and a brown sweater. It was the color of gravy after all. I combed my fingers through my hair a little bit and then brushed my teeth, spritzed on some perfume and did some light makeup. I had to look nice for this if I wanted to make a good impression. This was truly the first time that Mrs. Benson had been this nice to me, so I had to show her that I could return the gesture.

I slipped on my infamous Chuck Taylors, grabbed my phone, and then headed out the door. Mom was still asleep even though it was nearly noon. As I started walking towards Bushwell, a text came in from Freddie.

_**From: Freddie**_

_**hey! mom told me u were coming today! **_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**yeah im on my way :)**_

_**From: Freddie**_

_**well thank god i dont know how much more of amanda i can take…**_

_**To: Freddie**_

_**hahaha k see u in a bit :)**_

I shut my phone and stuck it back in my pocket and continued on towards Bushwell. Sidewalk traffic wasn't too busy, however the street traffic begged to differ. When it came to the crosswalk, I had to wait a solid twenty minutes before the little walking man registered on the monitor. I ran across and then went inside.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Lewb." I said, pressing the main elevator button.

"What's so thankful about it?" he grumbled.

I ignored him and then went up to Freddie and Carly's floor. When I reached in between Freddie and Carly's apartments, I looked over at Carly's door, with Spencer's crazy animated turkey taped to the door with a little shout bubble attached so that the turkey was screaming, "HAPPY THANKSGIVING!"

I looked over at Freddie's plain door. Was I making the right decision? Just then Freddie's door opened.

"Hey! Thought I heard you out here." He said. "Whatcha doin?"

I glanced back at Carly's door once more. "Nothing. Can I come in?"

"But of course." He said, taking my hand and leading me inside.

"Freddie, is Sam here?" Mrs. Benson asked from the kitchen.

"Yeah she's with me, Mom." He replied.

"Hi Mrs. Benson." I said, giving a small wave.

"Hello Sam. Happy Thanksgiving." She said before pulling something out of the oven.

"Same to you," I said. "Everything smells… great."

"Thank you." She replied.

"Hey Freddie, who's that?" a girl with brown greasy pigtails asked from one of the sofas.

"Oh… um, Amanda, this is Sam. My girlfriend." He answered.

"I'm Amanda." she said standing up and extending her hand.

I shook it briefly and then wiped it on my pants discretely. Whatever she had on her hand, I am pretty sure it wasn't a normal substance.

"Where's the rest of your family?" I asked.

And then as if on cue, the door opened and in walked a pregnant woman pushing a baby carriage.

"Freddie!" the pregnant woman said. "Come here you!"

He squeezed my hand and then gave the pregnant woman a hug but then averted the baby's eyes completely.

"Sam, this is my aunt Jennifer, and you remember Stephanie?" he said.

"Hi Sam." the pregnant woman answered. "Are you Freddie's girlfriend?"

I laughed at her assertiveness. "Yes, I am. Nice to meet you."

"Freddie, there you go again, not telling me about your love life." She added, slapping Freddie upside the head, making Stephanie laugh and clap in her carriage.

I think I'll get along well with this family.

* * *

><p>After dinner (which was delicious by the way), we all sat around talking. Freddie and I stayed close to each other on the couch, and other family members dispersed around the space. More family had arrived before, including uncles, cousins, and grandparents, all of whom I was introduced to.<p>

"So Sam, you're a senior as well, right?" one of Freddie's uncles asked.

"Yes." I answered. "I am."

"So what do you want to do with your life?" he said, leaning forward.

It took me a moment to answer. "Um, well I haven't really thought about it."

He just nodded and then went on to talk to someone else.

"Don't mind him." Freddie whispered in my ear. "He does it to everyone."

I nodded.

"Want to go back to my room?" he asked. "It's getting crowded in here."

I nodded again and we got up and made our way out of the living room space and back into Freddie's bedroom.

"Sorry about my family." He said as he closed the door. "They can be very… direct."

"Have you met my family?" I contradicted but then quickly added, "Actually no, you haven't… half of them are in prison."

He laughed and we sat down on his bed together.

"Are you having fun though?"

"Yeah." I answered. "It's been a lot of fun."

I think he noticed the vacancy in my eyes. "You miss Carly don't you?"

I fiddled with my fingers. "No."

"Sam, it's okay. You always go over there and we kind of towed you in to come here. If you want to go over to Carly's for a little bit, you can." He said gently. "I won't mind, and I really don't think anyone else will."

I sighed. "Are you sure?"

"Positive." He said, kissing my head. "Go have fun with Carly. I know she misses you too."

"How do you know?"

He pulled his phone out of my pocket and showed me a series of text messages between him and Carly.

_**To: Carly**_

_**happy turkey day :)**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**thanks freddie same 2 u :)**_

_**To: Carly**_

_**r u and spencer doin anythin special? **_

_**From: Carly**_

_**well usually sam comes over and we have turkey and watch the parade on dvr but since shes not comin, were havin spaghetti tacos. **_

_**To: Carly**_

_**yum :)**_

_**From: Carly**_

_**yeah but it wont be the same without sam. got to go. have fun with the fam :)**_

The texts ended after that and suddenly I stood up and started towards the door. "Sorry Freddie, but I need to go."

"I thought you'd want to." He said with a knowing smile. "Go."

I waved goodbye and then pushed back through the crowd and out the door. I walked the few steps across the hall and knocked, which I hadn't done to Carly's door in awhile.

Carly answered the door, still in her pajamas. "Sam?"

"Got any more spaghetti tacos?" I asked hopefully.

"How did you…?"

"Freddie." I answered. "And… it wasn't the same without you either."

She hugged me quickly and then added. "You're lucky that all of the tacos got burned earlier. Were just now eating."

I laughed. "Classic... just… classic."


	12. iChristmas

Then it was December and soon enough, shops began putting the decorations in the windows, wreaths and lights were hung, and Christmas trees were being put up. The Friday before Christmas, we had the annual iCarly Christmas special.

Carly and I did our rendition of Jingle Bells that had become known among our viewers and then did one of the pathetic plays, the one with Gibby as the terrible father, as a Christmas special.

"And that's it for tonight!" Carly said when the play was over.

"So go and have fun!" I added.

"Drink eggnog!"

"Go crazy!"

"Visit Santa Claus!"

"Eat his cookies!"

"Bye!" we both finished together.

Freddie typed a few buttons into his laptop. "And we are clear! Awesome show, guys."

Carly and I high-fived.

"Well, I have to get going." Freddie said. "Got to finish up some last minute shopping."

Carly waved her goodbyes and Freddie gave me a quick peck before leaving.

"Did Spencer get another metal tree?" I asked.

"Nah we got a real one this time." She added. "But we should go check…"

We both ran out of the iCarly studio and down the stairs into the living room and being classic Spencer, of course there wasn't a regular tree. This one was made out of gummy bears.

"Hey girls, you like the tree?" he asked, gesturing to it broadly.

"Gummy bears?" Carly asked.

"They're the fire retardant ones!" he exclaimed. "So we won't repeat what happened with your room."

"Are you sure?" she questioned.

"Do you want to go look at the two hundred empty bags of gummy bears in the dumpster?" he questioned right back.

"No."

"Then I'm positive." He said. "So help me put decorations on this thing!"

He slid a box full of ornaments and other random do-hickies over to us and we each took a few and started to layer them on the gummy bear tree. I had to admit, once it was finished with all the tinsel, lights, ornaments and the star on top, it looked pretty awesome.

"Cool tree you guys." I said. "My mom is too lazy to go out and buy one, let alone make one."

Carly laughed. "Well our tree is your tree."

"Totally." Spencer conceded. "You're at this house more than we are, anyways."

* * *

><p>Before I knew it, it was the 23rd, the start of Christmas break. Two days away from Christmas, and I hadn't even gotten anything for Freddie or Carly yet. After school ended that day, I hopped on the bus to the mall and decided to go looking. It was packed full and I'm pretty sure that in my path, I knocked over a tiny old lady.<p>

When I finally reached the Pear store, I looked among the technological items. Freddie probably already had everything in inventory, but I thought I'd look anyways. As I was looking through some stuff, my eyes set on a PearPod skin that I immediately wanted to get for Freddie. On it, it was the Geek Squad logo with a painted on stamp that said "UN-OFFICIAL MEMBER". At the very least, I thought it would make him laugh. I took the package off the rack and went to the register to ring it up.

"That'll be $6.22." the cashier said after bagging my purchase. I handed him a ten and he gave me back my change. "Thanks for shopping Pear."

I nodded and took the bag and then went to the music store for Carly. I know she had wanted the new Kettlefish CD and luckily they had one in stock. But as I reached for it, another hand reached out and tried to take it from me.

"Um excuse me, I had this first." I said, trying to stay civil.

"Uh yeah, but my mom wants this CD." The middle-aged guy said.

"Your mom can hold her horses. This is for my best friend." I said, attitude starting to leak in to my voice.

"Whoa man, did you just go insulting my mother?" the guy said.

"Gimme the CD, dang it!" I said, wrenching the CD from his hand and then running up to the cashier.

"Dude!" the middle aged guy called.

"Sorry bud!" I said as the cashier rang me up.

"$15.03." she said.

I shoved her over a twenty. "Keep the change."

"Thanks!" she called as I ran out of the store with the CD. "Merry Christmas!"

* * *

><p>The next day was Christmas Eve. My mom had turned in, so I sat on the couch watching some Christmas special when a knock came at my door.<p>

I got up and answered it and there stood Freddie, bundled up in coat, hat, and mittens.

"Hey!" I said, pulling him inside from the cold. "You're lucky that my mom paid the heating bill this month."

"Yeah," he chuckled and stripped off his winter garments.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked.

"Ah, my mom dropped me off here for a second on our way back so that I could give you your present. Turns out were going down to Oregon tomorrow." He said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small box.

"Oh, Freddie… I feel really bad. Your present isn't even wrapped…" I said, taking the box and then glancing over at the counter where the bag from Pear still sat.

"It's okay, Sam." he said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter at all."

"One second." I said, running over to the counter and grabbing the Pear bag and then running back to him. "Here."

He took the bag. "Can I open it?"

"Yes! Go!" I said, gesturing to the bag.

He reached in and pulled out the package for the skin and chuckled.

"Definitely a Sam present." He said before leaning in and giving me a quick peck. "I love it. Now open yours."

I tore open the wrapping paper and then opened the box, revealing a new pair of earrings; diamond studs.

I gasped.

"It's from Mom and me both." He said.

"Oh my God, Freddie… they're, they're amazing." I said, trying not to tear up over the gesture. "I only spent like six dollars and you got me diamond studs."

"Don't worry about it." he said, kissing my forehead. "Let me spoil you every now and then."

Just then, a little leaf fellow on his head and he brushed it off and then looked up. Mistletoe. How movie like.

He smiled and then pulled me in for a long kiss under the hanging plant as the clock struck midnight.

When we pulled apart, he brushed back a strand of my hair and kept his face close to mine. "Merry Christmas, beautiful."

It sure is.


	13. iCelebrate

Shortly after Christmas was the New Year, and then shortly after that, it was Freddie and I's six month anniversary. January 6th. That night, Freddie took me out to dinner at Petrozinni's, like he had on our first date. Swanky music played in the background as we sat and talked. The waiter came over and gave us our sparkling apple juice like we had ordered. What? If your going to celebrate an anniversary, you might as well do it right.

We clanked our glasses and then took sips, the bubbles and fizz dancing on my tongue like a million little people. I wiggled my tongue a little while Freddie laughed.

"First time having it?" he asked amusedly.

"Don't laugh at my deprivation." I said.

"I'm not. You just manage to still look beautiful while wiggling your tongue like a dog." He chuckled.

"Sap." I said, reaching over and hitting his arm. "That was such a cop out."

"That it was." He replied, matter of factly.

The waiter came to take our order for food then and we both got chicken parmesan like we had on our first date. This time around, things were a lot more comfortable.

When our food arrived, we still glommed over it like we had the first time. If you've ever had Petrozinni's chicken parm, then you would understand our delight. When we finished, Freddie ordered desert and we shared a crème Brule. All I can say is that classy people know how to eat.

At the end of night, Freddie walked me home and kissed me goodnight on my porch.

"I love you, Sam." he said. "Happy Anniversary."

* * *

><p>Weeks went by then and soon it was Freddie's birthday. February 4th. It was a Saturday, so I came over early, before Freddie got up, and helped Mrs. Benson cook him breakfast. When it was ready, I decided to go in and wake him up in classic Sam fashion.<p>

I tiptoed down into his room and quietly opened the door. He laid there in the middle of the bed, arm falling off the bed, legs spread out, head lolled to one side. He looked so peaceful and even cute. So I felt kind of sorry when I jumped on him then.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY FREDDIE!" I yelled.

"Oof!" he said as I jumped on him. "What the heck?"

"Happy birthday!" I said excitedly as he opened his eyes a little more.

He chuckled a little. "Why are you on top of me?"

"Cause I'm Sam." I said with a shrug. "But can you act more excited? You're legal!"

He laughed. "I'd be a little more excited if you could get off me."

"Sorry." I said, climbing off him and settling down next to him.

"It's okay." He said, sitting up and then giving me a quick peck on the lips. "Why are you here, again?"

"Cause it's your birthday, stupid!" I said with a playful slap on the arm. "Your 18!"

He ran his fingers through his messy hair. "Is it that big a deal?"

"Shut up! Of course it is!" I said. "You're a legal adult! Freedom is imminent!"

He laughed again. "Oh Sam."

"C'mon, get out of bed. Your mom and I made you breakfast." I said, taking his hand and tugging it.

He laughed yet again. "Okay, okay. I'm coming, I'm coming. Go out there and I'll be out in a second."

"You better." I said standing up and then running out of the room.

And then just as promised, he came out a few minutes later and we ate the birthday feast of pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs.

"Thanks guys." He said as he finished his food. "It was awesome."

"Sam actually did most of the cooking." Mrs. Benson commented.

He looked at me with surprise.

"What?" I said. "I love to eat; therefore I need to know how to cook."

He just took my hand and then kissed it. "Thank you, Sam."

I helped Mrs. Benson clear the dishes and then we each gave him our presents. He sat down on the couch and took Mrs. Benson's first. He peeled the paper off slowly and I started to get impatient.

"Dude, open it already!" I said playfully.

He chuckled and then ripped the paper off at a more suitable speed. When he opened the box, his eyes went wide.

"No way… Mom, you got me a DiVaglio?" he said, picking up the fancy computer.

"Well I know your other one broke. Sam told me. And since you loved it so much, I thought it'd be a good present." She said.

"But Ma, these things cost like tons of money." He said.

"Stop contradicting and enjoy it." she said simply. "Now open Sam's present."

He put the computer aside and then took my present, which was in a much smaller box. He ripped the paper off it and then opened it and then looked at me.

"A chain?" he asked.

"Yeah… with an S. For Sam." I said, my cheeks going a little red. "Is it… girly? Or conceited? Cause I got one too. With an F. For Freddie."

"Of course not." He said, giving me a quick kiss. "Thanks baby, I love it."

He un-fastened it out of the box and then had me put it around his neck.

"Do I look fly?" he said, striking a male model pose.

I laughed. "Definitely. Pretty soon, Abercrombie will be hiring you as a cover boy."

* * *

><p>The rest of the day went by pretty quickly. We all sat around socializing for a little bit and then Freddie and I went to the park for a picnic lunch that I had made. Then after that we went and saw this movie he really wanted to see, and then went back to his place where his mom cooked us dinner.<p>

As the night went on and it got later, I realized that I should be getting home.

"I'll walk you." He said, grabbing our jackets. "Be back in a little bit, Mom."

"Oh you don't have to answer to me anymore." She said. "You're an adult now."

We walked out of the apartment and he added to me, "That's a present in itself."

I laughed as we walked out of Bushwell and towards my house. The night was a little frigid, but we stayed close together. When we reached my house, he pulled me in for a series long kisses.

"Sam, this was… the best birthday ever." He said. "I'm so glad I got to spend it with you."

"I'm glad you liked it." I replied. "You deserve it… I mean, you've been nothing but good to me. I still can't believe that we're… together."

He chuckled. "Yeah it baffles me sometimes. But I'm a lucky man."

"Shut up. I'm not that great."

"To me, you are." He said, giving me another kiss. "Girl your amazing… just the way you are."

I kissed him quickly one more time and then opened the door. "Even now that your 18, your still a sap. As always."


	14. iDisappointment

Before too long, it was March and then April. That Tuesday before lunch, Freddie found me at my locker.

"Sam, you won't even believe what just happened." He said with excitement.

"What?" I asked.

"So Pear was having this contest right? And it was like why you love their technology and all that kind of stuff, and the winner gets to go take a tour of Pear headquarters in New York City tomorrow." He began.

"Uh-huh…" I said, putting some books away.

"And your talking to the winner!" he said finally.

I stopped what I was doing and looked at him. "You won?"

"Yeah baby!" he said all excited. "I get to go see all the Pear technology, new and old, and give input on future prototypes!"

"That's great!" I said, giving him a hug. "I'm really excited for you."

"I'm going to miss you tons though." He said. "I'm gone for two weeks."

"Well… it's okay." I said, trying not to show my disappointment. "I'll hang out with Carly more. Since we've been dating, she's been a little left out. I think it'll be good for us to have some girl time."

"I'm still going to miss you." He said. "But I'll call you every night, okay?"

"You better." I said, giving him another hug.

* * *

><p>At the end of the day, Carly, Freddie and I all walked home together. Carly and I headed over to her place and Freddie went home to his place.<p>

"Aren't you gonna go hang with Freddie?" Carly asked, setting down her bag when we got inside.

"Nah he needs to pack and stuff." I said, putting down my bag as well.

"Pack?" she asked as she went to the kitchen.

"Yeah. He won some nerd heaven contest and he's going to New York tomorrow for two weeks." I said, sitting down on the couch.

"Aw, that's tough. I bet your gonna miss him." She said.

"Well yeah, but you know… now we can have some girl time." I replied.

"You know what?" Carly said, a light bulb going off in her head. "I have the perfect idea. You should spend the two weeks here."

"Huh?" I asked.

"Spend the two weeks here!" she said, excitement growing. "Live with us for the two weeks!"

"Carly, I don't think I could impose like that…"

"Come on, please? Since you and Freddie started dating, we barely have time to hang out anymore. So what more perfect way for us to hang out if you lived with us for two weeks? And face it Sam, I know you'd rather spend two weeks here then at home if you had the chance." She pleaded.

I thought it over for a moment. Carly was right. We had barely hung out since Freddie and I became a thing, and now, Freddie was practically handing me the opportunity to catch up with her. And she was right on the aspect of home too. Let's see, spend two weeks at Carly's where people actually took notice of me, or stay at home all alone while my mother made out with her newest boyfriend? The whole being-a-better-Mom thing didn't last too long with her.

"Okay." I finally agreed. "I'll do it."

She squealed. "Sam, this is going to be so much fun!"

* * *

><p>The next morning, we all woke up early to see Freddie off at the airport. Carly was picking me up that morning, so she just said to bring all my luggage with me. As I carried my last bag to the door, my mom peered up from the couch. Had she been sleeping there all night?<p>

"Sammy, what are you doing?" she asked.

"Carly's picking me up in a little bit and we're going to go say goodbye to Freddie at the airport and then I'm staying with her for a little bit." I said, grabbing my backpack. "I told you this already."

"No you didn't." she said, sitting up now. "You're running away?"

"Mom, I'm just staying with Carly for a while. They invited me to stay over there while Freddie is out of town. I'm not running away."

"Well it sure looks like it!" she said. "Why are you doing this to me, Sam?"

"I'm doing anything!" I said. "I'm going to have some fun with my best friend at her house since she's never welcome over here!"

"Carly is always welcome!"

"Well she doesn't want to come over here. You know why? Because of you, Mom! All my friends are afraid of you." I said finally.

She inhaled and exhaled a few times. "Don't speak to me in that tone of voice."

"Oh quit it, Mom. You talk to me like that all the time." I said. Just then, I heard Spencer's crazy horn honk. "I'll see you in two weeks."

I picked up all my bags and then opened the door and ran down the porch steps toward Spencer's car. I threw all my stuff in the trunk and then hopped in the back with Carly.

"To the airport!" Spencer said.

"To the airport!" we mimicked.

And then we were off.

* * *

><p>The airport was surprisingly calm. Then again, it was like six thirty in the morning. Carly, Spencer and I walked through until we found Freddie at a Skybucks before the security checkpoint.<p>

"Freddie!" we all said.

He looked up and then set his coffee down and ran to give Carly and Spencer hugs and me a kiss.

"Excited?" Spencer asked.

"Totally." He replied.

Just then, a voice over the intercom rang out.

"Ten minutes till boarding for flight number 210 to Chicago."

Freddie shrugged. "That's me."

Carly looked over at me and then pulled out a couple bucks and slipped it to me. "Hey Spence, I think you forgot to pay the parking meter."

"Aw fudge!" he said, running out.

"I better go… see if he's all good." She said with a secret look in her eyes. "Have fun Freddie. And Sam, buy us some coffee, kay?"

And then she ran off.

Freddie laughed. "Very discrete."

"I know. We're working on that." I said.

"I really am going to miss you."

"I'll miss you too." I said. "But your not gone forever."

"Of course not." He said. He pulled me in for one final kiss. "I love you Sam."

"I love you too." I said. "Now go have fun in nerd heaven."

* * *

><p>For the next two weeks, Carly and I spent time together. I had to admit, it was a lot of fun. I hadn't realized how much I had missed just spending time with Carly as my best friend. Before Freddie, we used to hang out tons, and now we were so distant. There was so much we had to catch up on; teachers, Carly's love life, Spencer's latest antics… and so much more. After the first week, Carly and I were sitting on the couch watching a lame episode of Celebrities Underwater when I turned to her.<p>

"Hey Carls, when does Freddie get back?"

"I think he said the 17th at night. Why?"

"The… the 17th?" I asked.

"Uh yeah. What's so bad about…" she started and then stopped. "Oh, Sam…"

"I'll be right back." I said quickly, excusing myself upstairs to Carly's room.

I looked at the clock. It was around four now, so in New York it would be around seven. Freddie should be back from his day's events. I whipped out my phone and dialed his number in.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hey." I said.

"Sam! I was just about to call you." He said.

"Oh." I replied. "Um… what day do you get back?"

"Here, lemme look." He said.

There was a little bit of shuffling. "Ah, here it is… the 17th at like ten o'clock."

"At night?" I asked.

"At night." He confirmed.

"Oh." I said, trying not to let the sadness drip into my voice.

"Sam, what's so bad about the 17…" he stopped. "Oh my God, Sam, that's your birthday isn't it?"

"Yeah." I said quietly. "My 18th birthday."

"Oh my God Sam, I had no idea there was a conflict… baby, I am so sorry." He tried.

"It's… it's okay Freddie. You had no control over it. I understand. I'll talk to you soon, okay? Carly's waiting."

"Sam, I'm so sorry."

"Bye Freddie." I said, hanging up the phone.

Carly opened the door and then came in. "Doin okay?"

I shook my head and she came over and hugged me. And as much as I appreciated her hug, and I loved that she cared, the only person I wanted with me right then was Freddie.


	15. iBirthday

Before too long, it was the dreaded day. I woke up on the 17th and got dressed. I didn't even bother to put on any makeup or really mess with my hair. And in all honesty, I'm pretty sure I didn't smell to hot either. But why did it matter?

"Sam?" Carly mumbled when she heard me moving around.

"Hey." I said glumly.

"No offense, but you kind of look like a Mack truck ran over you." She said.

"It's what I'm going for." I said. "Today's a Mack truck day."

She got out of bed then and came over to me. "Look Sam, I know that you're sad that Freddie can't be here today. But you know that he wishes he was. And you know that he tried to switch his flight, but he just can't. You guys can celebrate tomorrow. Today you can celebrate with me and Spencer and your mom."

"The only good part about that sentence was celebrating with you and Spencer." I said. "I don't want to go home. My mom's peeved off at me anyways."

"Stop being so negative!" she said sternly. "You're 18 today, Sam! Let loose! Have fun!"

"Yep." I said, the glumness still staying. "Feels great."

She sighed and got dressed herself, then went on to beautifying herself. After ten minutes, she was ready and we headed downstairs.

"Hey kid." Spencer said from the couch. "Happy birthday Sam!"

"Thanks." I said.

He stood up. "Why so chizzy?"

"Cause Freddie's still in New York…" Carly explained.

"And?" Spencer asked.

"On her birthday…" she explained further.

Spencer finally recognized what was wrong and then tousled my hair. "Well quit being chizzy and let's go get some Skybucks. That'll perk your mood up."

"I'd just rather go to school." I said. "Actually, do you guys mind if I walk? I need to… clear some stuff in my head."

"Sam…" Carly tried.

"Carly, please just let me go." I said.

She pursed her lips and then nodded. I grabbed my bag and walked out of the apartment. Freddie's door was right across there. In some way, I wished that he would suddenly just pop out and yell, "SURPRISE!" but I already knew that that was too big a wish.

I sighed and went down the main elevator and out the building. The street was starting to crowd up with teens on their way to school and I pushed through and made my way to Ridgeway down the road.

Why did out of all the weeks they could have chosen for him to go, Pear had to choose for him to go these two? And for him to come back on my birthday of all days? Stupid Pear Technology, Inc.

I got to school and went inside straight away to my locker.

"Happy birthday Sam!" a group of girls called.

"Ay Puckett, happy birthday!" one of the guys yelled.

I gave a forced smile and a wave as I went to gather my books. Everyone was being so nice to me… and I already knew that there would be a multitude of emails from iCarly fans around the world, because my birthday was on the iCarly Events Calendar. So why couldn't I be happy?

* * *

><p>About halfway through the day, Emily, Principal Franklin's daughter found me at my locker.<p>

"Hey Sam." she said. "How are you?"

"Fine, Emily."

"I saw on that it was your birthday." She said. "I made you this."

She handed me a card that had an exact replica of the bunny I had drawn last year in jail, except with a word bubble saying "Happy Birthday Sam!" I opened it and inside, I read aloud what Emily had written:

_**Dear Sam, **_

_**I hope you have an awesome birthday. I like you best on iCarly and I'm your biggest fan. Stay cool!**_

_**Love,**_

_**Emily Franklin, Seattle, Washington**_

I closed the card and gave Emily a hug. "Thanks Emily. I love it."

"Your welcome. Oh and Dad had the lunch lady do meatball subs in the cafeteria. I saw on your blog that it was your favorite lunch food." She said. "Anyways, I gotta run. See ya!"

She waved and then darted off into her dad's office where she probably had lunch with him.

I looked at the card again and then stuck it in my locker. Even after Emily's amazingly nice gesture, how could I still be in the worst mood of all time?

* * *

><p>Spencer picked us up from school right on time and drove us back to the apartment where I packed up my bags and got them ready. My mom was picking me up within minutes.<p>

As I finished packing, Carly gave me a hug. "Sam, I hope you had fun."

"I did." I said with a small smile. "I really did. Thanks."

"Try and be happy." She said, giving my shoulders a squeeze.

"Yeah." I said. "I'll try."

My phone beeped with a text from my mom saying that she was outside of the apartment.

"Mom's outside." I said, grabbing my bags and hoisting them up on my shoulders. "Thanks again, Carls."

"See ya." She said, giving a wave.

I waved back and then went downstairs to my mom's car. I stuffed everything in the trunk and then climbed in the passenger's seat. The whole ride home, she didn't say a word to me. Not even a, "Happy Birthday, honey" or anything like that. Nothing.

We reached the house and she just parked and went inside. Didn't even offer to help me carry anything. Awesome Mom. Especially on my birthday.

I took all my stuff inside and went straight to my room. I didn't bother to unpack. I'd do that later, or tomorrow. I stripped off my clothes and got into my comfiest pair of pajama pants and my largest t-shirt.

"Sam, I'm going to bed!"

"It's only 4 o'clock!" I yelled back.

"Whatever!"

"Don't you have ANYTHING to say to me?"

"Oh… yeah. Tell Frothy to go get a job."

And then her bedroom door slammed shut.

Yep. This day just got worse.

* * *

><p>About an hour later, I went out into the living room and turned on the TV. I went to the fridge to see if there was something I could eat. Nope. My mom probably ate it all. Frothy laid on his bed, foam slightly dripping from his mouth.<p>

"Mom says get a job." I said to his sleeping form.

He didn't do anything.

I went back to the couch and started to watch whatever was on. Before too long, a knock came at the door.

"Go away." I yelled.

"Special delivery." A deep voice answered.

Ugh, is this one of my mom's boyfriends? It was after delivery hours. It had to be. I got up off the couch and opened the door and standing before me… I almost burst into tears.

"Happy 18th birthday beautiful." Freddie said, handing me a bouquet of a dozen roses. "You deserve it."

"Freddie!" I said nearly jumping into his arms.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and held me close to him. I inhaled his perfect smell and instantly my day was already better. We pulled back a little and he kissed me for what seemed like forever.

"But how…?" I asked when we pulled apart.

"I switched my flight." He said. "You didn't think I could live missing your birthday after what you did on mine, could you?"

"Well I did… and Carly said…"

"Well Carly was wrong." He said. "God, Sam, I've missed you so much."

He pulled me in for another hug and then kissed my hair.

"I missed you too, Freddie." I said into his shoulder. "A lot."

"But you had fun with Carly, didn't you?"

"Of course." I said. "But still…"

He kissed my hair again. "Happy birthday, Sam."

I just inhaled another waft of his smell. "Now it is."


	16. iMake A Decision

**A/N: the colleges mentioned in here are completely fictional… to me anyways. if they actually exist somewhere… well that's just cool. **

* * *

><p>Before too long, April was over and it was May. Graduation was approaching quicker and quicker, classes went into full review mode for final exams, and anticipation grew with every passing moment. And college… college was just around the corner. This year ended up being a lot different than it usually was. Not once had I been called into Principal Franklin's office for causing trouble, because Freddie kept me out of it. He had given me manners, helped me in school; behavior wise, and academic wise. It felt… odd.<p>

But that day, the intercom rang out: "_Sam Puckett to the Principal's office, Sam Puckett to the Principal's office._"

And nothing perfect lasts forever.

I made my way to the office and let myself in to the back part where Principal Franklin sat.

"Hello Sam," he said in a more pleasant tone that he had used before with me.

"Um… hi." I said. "Look, whoever said I did something, I didn't-,"

"Don't worry Sam. I'd like to talk to you about something entirely different." He said.

"Like what…?"

"College." He said simply.

"College?" I asked.

"College." He repeated. "I got a letter yesterday and I thought that maybe you would like to look it over."

He handed me an official looking envelope with a logo in the corner labeled Duncan Park College in west Michigan. I tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter and began to read it.

_**Dear Samantha, **_

_**After reviewing your application, we are very impressed. Here at Duncan Park, we believe in dramatic change. And reviewing your transcript, we can see that behavior and academic wise, you have dramatically changed, and you are an excellent testimony, which is why we would like to offer you a full scholarship to our institute for psychology.**_

After that, I closed the letter up and handed it back to President Franklin.

"First of all, I don't even know a Duncan Park College, and secondly, I do not want to major in psychology, even with a full scholarship. I appreciate the opportunity, Principal Franklin, but this just isn't for me." I said, trying to be politely.

"I understand. What do you want to do then? Major in, I mean." He said.

"Well…" I started. "I mean… I guess… a cook. I mean I can cook."

"Are you positive about that?" he asked.

"Well…"

"Because I don't think you are." He said matter-of-factly.

"No." I said. "I… I want to be a cook."

Do you think that sounded convincing enough?

"Okay," he said. "Then I have the college for you."

He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a folder and handed it to me. I took it and opened it up. Garrison College for the Performing Arts.

"Look, Principal Franklin…" I said.

"No, Sam. I want you to look over this. You know I watch you on iCarly every week with Emily. You do little plays and tons of comedy, and you're fantastic. Look it over. Think it over." He said. "Now… get to class."

* * *

><p>That night, sitting in my room, my eyes kept averting to the folder that sat on my dresser. Finally, I picked it up and decided to look it over. It couldn't hurt to at least look it over, right? Besides, I didn't want to be an actress anyways. I wanted to be a cook. Right?<p>

I opened the folder and started to read through some of the material. There were options for musical theater, singing, dance, film, Internet. There were pictures of the campus and it looked… amazing. It looked calm and peaceful, but the college was exciting and different. I didn't know what to do. And suddenly I found myself calling the person that I would never even think to call.

Two rings and then her voice came across the line.

"Sam? I didn't expect to hear from you." She said. "Ever."

"Hi Melanie." I said.

"How have you been?" she asked. "You know I miss you."

"Thanks… I've been good. You know Freddie and I are dating now." I said.

"Aw! That's so adorable." She gushed. "Now… question. Why are you calling? You never call. I mean not that I'm excited to hear from you…"

"No, it's okay. It's just that… I need to make a decision and since you're the more level-headed one of us... I thought that maybe you could help me." I said.

"Of course!" she said. "I'm always here for you."

Goodness… how could I have hated her all these years? I didn't even call her on our birthday.

"Well… my principal gave me this packet for a college and it's totally out of my league… but I think I really want to go for it."

"What college?" she asked.

"Garrison College for the Performing Arts." I replied.

"Oh Sam… Garrison is an… amazing college. So amazing. My best friend Kyra's older sister went there, and she just gushes about it every time she comes to visit Kyra." Melanie said. "Sam, if you have the opportunity to go to Garrison, go for it. Straight away."

"You… you think so?"

"Definitely." She said.

"But what will Mom say?" I asked.

"Look, Sam. Mom wasn't too crazy about me going to boarding school either. But… it was something I really wanted. So I fought for it. Don't you remember?"

My mind drifted back to the day when Melanie told Mom that she wanted to go… the day that I started hating her.

"_What do you mean you want to leave us? Go to boarding school?" Mom yelled. "Just leave me and Sam here why don't you?" _

"_Mom, this is something I've always wanted! My whole life, I've been your puppet and I know for a fact that Sam feels the same way. You use us all the time… and you just want to keep us here to be your friends because no one else will! I'm trying to show you that I can do something! Actually do something to make you proud!" Melanie fought back. _

"_Fine then! Just leave us to go to your fancy boarding school on your rich kids scholarship!" Mom yelled back. "Conversation over!"_

_Mom excused herself to her room then and Melanie caught my eye. _

"_So your gonna leave me." I said. "I thought we were gonna always stick together." _

"_Sam…" she tried. _

"_No, forget it." I said. "Go."_

"_Sam... I love you tons, but this is just a great-,"_

"_If you love me, you wouldn't go." I said. "You know what? I… I hate you!" _

I shook the memory off.

"Sam? Are you still there?" she asked.

"Yeah Mel. I am."

"Please Sam. I know you've always hated me… but I see you on iCarly, and your amazing. Do it. Go for it. Apply. For me." she said.

I swallowed a gulp. "Maybe."

"Think over it Sam. I need to get to dinner, okay? Take care." She said. "I love you, sis."

"I… love you too." I said, hanging up the phone.

I looked through the information more and then in the back found an application packet. I went to my backpack and pulled out a pen and then went back over to my bed. I picked up the packet and looked over the first few questions, then put my pen to the paper.

I took a deep breath.

"Here goes nothing." I said to myself.

And then I began filling it out.


	17. iAm Going No Matter What

About two weeks later, when I came home from school, my mom was waiting for me on the couch.

"Well hello there my little secret keeper." She said as I walked in the door.

"Good afternoon to you, too." I said, setting my bag down. "Loving the warm welcome."

"When were you going to tell me about college?" she asked, holding up a letter. "And performing arts college nonetheless. Performing arts isn't useful in the least. Especially to me."

I crossed my arms. "First of all, college is kind of a known fact, Mom. After high school, a lot of people go to college. I'm choosing to be one of those people." I stopped. "And why does it matter? I love performing Mom. Why do you think I do iCarly every week? Commit to it? And again, why does it matter if it's useful to you, Mom! It's my life! I'll do what I want with it!"

"But why?" she protested like a whiny child. "You're supposed to stay here!"

"What do you mean I'm supposed to stay here?" I asked.

"You're supposed to take care of me when I get old, Sam. That's how it works. I mean Melanie already let me down." She tried.

"Let you down? Mom, your always wanting me to BE like Melanie, always saying to me 'How come you can't be like Melanie?'. And now I'm trying to be like Melanie, trying to be successful, and now your holding me back?"

"Since when do you defy me?"

"Always, Mother! I ALWAYS defy you!" I yelled. "This is something I want! Just like Melanie wanted to go to boarding school!"

"So you're just going to leave me?" she yelled back. "Just leave me here all alone with no one to be with?"

I scoffed. "You don't even spend time with me! You're always sucking face with a new boyfriend, and you never pay attention to me!"

"That's a lie!"

"You're a lie!" I said. "Everything you say to me is a LIE!"

She inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times. "That's not true."

"There's a lie right there." I said. "Here, let's count off some lies you've told me. One: You promise to be a better mother. Two: My pet bunny ran away when you actually sold it to FOREIGNERS. Three: We'll go to Disney World the day Mel and I turn five. Four: There'll never be another man like dad and you won't date again." I stopped. "Should I continue?"

She was silent.

"That's what I thought." I said, snatching the letter from her hand and picking up my bag. "I'm going to Carly's. Call me when you can learn to be supportive." I opened the door and then looked back at her one more time. "And this time, I really AM running away."

* * *

><p>Ten minutes later, I arrived at Carly's doorstep and knocked.<p>

"Hey Sam." she said. "What's up?"

"Mom and I just got in a fight." I said. "Can I come in?"

"Of course." She replied, letting me in. I came in and set my bag down then sat down on the couch. "So, what was the fight about?"

"Me going to college." I said. "And then I said I was coming over here, and said I was... running away."

"College?" she asked. "I thought you didn't want to go to college."

"Carly, I kind of just said I was running away to here and you didn't even-,"

"Ah whatever Sam. You already live here more than I do. Stay here if you want. Now what is this about college?" she said, waving off my question.

"Um well okay... I've been… re-considering. And I got this letter…" I held up the letter.

"Can I…?"

"Go ahead." I permitted, handing her the letter.

She took it and opened it and scanned her eyes over it. "Sam, oh my God… Garrison? You applied to Garrison College for the Performing Arts?"

"Yeah." I said. "Long shot, I know."

"Long shot?" she said, sitting down. "Read the letter!"

She handed it to me and I scanned my eyes across the page.

_**May 19, 2012**_

_**Ms. Samantha Puckett**_

_**121 Market St. **_

_**Seattle, Washington 98103**_

_**Dear Ms. Puckett, **_

_**I am delighted to inform you that the Committee of Admissions and Financial Aid has voted to offer you a place in the Garrison College of the Performing Arts class of 2016.**_

_**Many people have applied to our school, but after reading over your application and looking at your pieces online, as well as researching your webshow "iCarly", we would be honored to have you as a part of our class. **_

_**And here at Garrison, we wish to give everyone an opportunity to shine, especially if they are an excellent performer. Which is why we are not only offering you admission, but a full scholarship for your time here. I sincerely hope that you consider joining us here at the Garrison College for the Performing Arts.**_

_** Sincerely,**_

_**Leslie Michaels**_

_** Dean of Admissions**_

"Oh… oh my God." I said. "I got it!" I turned to Carly. "Carly, I got in!"

"And not only did you get in…" she said, then running to the counter and showing me a letter. "I did too!"

"Wait, what?" I asked.

"I applied to Garrison, too! For their singing program!" she said. "We're going to college together, Sam!"

"Ahhh!" we both screamed and hugged. Just then Freddie popped in.

"What is with the screaming?" he asked.

"Freddie! Oh my God, you won't believe what happened!"

"What happened?"

"Carly and I got into Garrison!" I said excitedly.

"For the performing arts?" he asked.

"Yes!" I said, my smile taking over my face.

He grabbed me by my waist then and picked me up and twirled me around. "Sam, I am so proud of you!"

"You are?" I asked as he set me down.

"Baby, of course I am. And Carly too. My best friend and my girlfriend just got into the one of the top performing arts colleges in the COUNTRY!" he said, giving me another hug. "And not only are you two going, I am too!"

"What?" Carly and I both asked.

"They let me in to their technology department. Lighting, sound, camera work, maintenance on their websites…" he explained.

We all looked at each other and then merged into a huge group hug.

"We're all going to college!"


	18. iStill Can't Believe It

**A/N: I apologize for the super short chapter guys. But the next two chapters are going to be very long and emotional, so I need to save all my empowering emotional moments ****for them. Hope you enjoy this though! **

* * *

><p>Even as the days went on, I couldn't get over that I had gotten into Garrison. It felt so unreal. I, Sam Puckett, getting into one of the top performing arts schools in the country? And surprisingly, I owed it all to Principal Franklin. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have even thought of going into performing arts. I mean, iCarly was just a side job, and I had never thought of it as performing. I thought of it as making people laugh; entertaining others. But now that I really think, that's what performing is. Entertaining others.<p>

Everywhere we went, Carly would practice her singing. Everything from Kettlefish songs to slow ones that you hear on old people radio. It was actually quite amusing. And annoying.

"Carly," I said, after she had finished singing her homework assignments to Spencer. "I love you, you're my best friend, but please, stop singing. Save it for college."

She stuck her tongue out. "I'm just practicing."

"Well practice into a mirror." I said with a laugh.

"Mirrors don't give feedback."

"My feedback will soon be very negative if you do not shut your singing machine." I said, poking her cheek.

"Oh face it, your just as excited, if not more excited than me to go to Garrison." She pointed out.

"Very true. I am excited. But I don't sing everywhere I go, and everything I say and do." I pointed out right back.

"You know what?" she said with frustration.

"What?" I asked back.

"Shut up!" she said with a joking smack to my shoulder.

"You know, I'm gonna miss you guys tons." Spencer spoke up.

"Aw, Spence, we'll miss you too." I said.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna be a lonely eccentric artist living in an empty apartment." He said, taking a sip of lemonade.

"But you have Socko!" Carly tried pointing out. "You guys can have more guy time now that we're gonna be gone."

"Oh I didn't tell you?" Spencer asked. "Socko got engaged the other day."

"Socko got engaged?" we both exclaimed.

"Yeah. To a girl that owns a jewelry store. Jewel." He replied.

"Huh." I said. "Fancy that."

"Yeah. Anyways, I'm going for a bike ride. Don't burn the apartment down." He said, setting down his lemonade and going out the door.

"See ya!"

"So wait," Carly asked then. "If I'm doing singing at Garrison, and Freddie is in their tech department… what are _you _doing?"

I had been thinking over this and had finally decided on something that I thought would be a lot of fun.

"Musical theater." I replied.

"Musical theater?" she asked.

"Musical theater." I repeated. "Combines acting, singing and dancing all into one."

"Good point." She pointed out. "I'm surprised you're not doing film or Internet though."

"Nah." I said. "I think that theater will be different. Exciting. New."

"That it will." She said, going over to the couch and sitting down. "College in general is going to be different. Exciting. New."

"I know." I sighed, sitting down with her.

"But we need it." Carly added. "The experience matters more than anything."

"Totally."

"But can you still believe that we're all going to college together?" she said. "It just feels too good to be true."

"Let's not jinx it." I laughed. "I'm actually excited about school for once."

"Yeah…" she said. "And… what about you and Freddie?"

"What about us?" I asked.

"Well… are you guys going to stay together?"

"I don't see why not." I shrugged. "We're going to school together still. We'll be at the same place."

"Good point."

"Mhm." I hummed. "Speaking of Freddie, mind if I go hang with him for a little bit?"

"Ah, go ahead. I'm tired anyways." she said, adding a dramatic yawn.

"Ay, quit with the drama." I said with a light shove. "Your majoring in singing remember?"

* * *

><p>Freddie and I decided to go for a walk later that day after we hung out at his house.<p>

"Graduation is coming." He commented.

"Too fast." I said with a large exhale of breath. "Too, too fast."

"But you're still excited, right?" he asked.

"Well totally. Carly and I were just talking about that. But still… going away… I'll miss Seattle." I said, looking around. "I mean… I grew up here."

"Me too." He said. "I'll miss it too. But we need to explore, right?"

"Right." I agreed. "We'll explore the world together."


	19. iCarly's Last Take

Before too long, May turned into June and graduation was not only upon us...

It was freaking TOMORROW.

Which meant today was Tuesday, an iCarly day. But it wasn't just any iCarly day, it was iCarly's last day. iCarly's last broadcast. Ever.

We had blocked out and tweeted that we were having a longer than usual webcast to reminisce over our years together. We also tweeted to bring tissues. This was big. And heartbreaking.

We were all very somber as we got ready for that night's show. Freddie setting up his technical stuff, and Carly and I making sure that everything was in place. Our time was running shorter and shorter as the hands on the clock inched closer to eight.

"I can't believe this." Carly said, sitting down in one of the bean bag chairs. "iCarly is done after tonight."

"Why does it have to be?" I asked. "I mean… why can't we do it through the summer? Or even through college? I mean… we're all at the same place anyways, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but over the summer we really need to plan for college, and at college… we need to focus on college. We all got into Garrison, one of the hardest schools to get into in the country… we shouldn't try to juggle our schoolwork and iCarly. Considering how the show gets more popular with every show." Carly explained.

"But we juggle now!" I tried. "We've managed to do this for five years, and we're just going to let up on it?"

"College is a lot different than high school, Sam." Carly said. "Trust me, I don't want iCarly to end, but… it just…"

"Has to." I finished glumly. A short pause. "But does it have to be our last webcast EVER?"

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked.

"Well like… we should at least keep our Twitter open and we can still tweet the fans and stuff, post a blog maybe every now and then. And occasionally, when something really big happens, like if I get a lead, or if Carly gets a solo, Freddie can tape it and we'll put it on the website. Like a Splashface channel, almost." I suggested. "We can't just quit all of the sudden guys. I know you guys don't want to, and you sure as heck know I don't want to either."

They thought over it for a moment.

"Maybe." Carly finally said.

"No, it can't be just a maybe." I persisted. "Guys, it took us five years, but we have millions of people who count on us… watch us every Tuesday and look forward to our broadcasts. We can't just quit on them like that because we don't want to take a chance."

"Sam, I don't think you understand-," Carly tried.

"No, Carls. I do understand. The whole point of going to college is about taking chances, isn't it? Especially to Garrison? A performing arts college? Who would've ever thought that we'd end up in performing arts college? I sure as heck didn't. But we're taking the chance anyways. So why not take a chance for the millions of people out there who count on us, and at least still give them something?" I tried again. "Anything!"

Silence filled the room. If you asked me, I thought I had made a pretty emotionally empowering, and very inspirational speech.

"Sam's right." Freddie finally said. "And I'm not just saying that cause I'm dating her. She actually is right. Face it Carly, iCarly is the best thing that's happened to all of us, and now we're just gonna try and let it go all of the sudden? Without even trying to make it work?"

Carly still thought. "I still don't know guys…"

"Carly," I said, my levels of seriousness reaching an all-time high. "We need to try. I know I keep saying it, but there are millions, not just a few people, but MILLIONS of people that count on US. Three teenagers from Seattle. They go as far as to look up to us. Now if you looked up to someone, and they just quit on you because they weren't willing to take a chance, how would YOU feel?"

She stayed silent for a moment. "Bad. I'd feel bad. And partially depressed."

"Then do we want to give that feeling to millions of people by choice, when we can take the chance to keep them happy?" I paused. "To keep US happy?"

"No." She finally said. "You guys are… you guys are both right."

"I know." I said with a shrug.

"Hey guys," Freddie said. "As much as I love the inspirational-seeing-the-light-moment, you're on in twelve seconds."

We quickly stood up and pushed the bean bag chairs out of the way and then shook out our hands a little.

"You ready?" Carly asked.

"Let's do it."

"iCarly's last official broadcast in 5,4,3,2," Freddie said and then pointed to us and Carly and I just screamed. Didn't even say hello or anything, we just screamed.

"Why are we screaming?" Carly asked.

"Because we're graduating high school tomorrow!" I shouted back.

"Oh my God!" Carly said.

We resumed screaming for another second or two and then stopped.

"Okay, enough of that." I said. "Now, as you guys have read in our tweets, this was supposed to be iCarly's last broadcast ever."

"But, we've been thinking." Carly said. "About not just us, but all of you who have made us and got us to where we are."

"So, in all honesty, we kind of lied to you." I said. "This isn't iCarly's last broadcast ever."

Freddie turned the camera around to him quickly. "Well officially it is."

I turned the camera back to face us. "But we're very un-official people."

Carly and I each gave an overly-enthusiastic thumbs up.

"So although we won't be broadcasting every week," Carly pointed out.

"Keep tabs on our twitter page and just maybe we'll do a little something-something every now and then." I added.

"And now, since all that business is out of the way… we're going to reminisce over the last five years in a video that Freddie put together of your favorite clips that you voted on last week on the website!" Carly said.

"So grab a bowl of popcorn and your favorite type of cheese and settle down." I said, before getting way up close to the camera. "It's reminiscing time." I stepped back. "Freddie?"

"Let's go. "

He clicked a few buttons on his computer and the video on the monitor began to play. We grabbed the beanbag chairs and he set his camera down and joined us as the first couple of clips started playing. Among them there were some highly memorable games of "Hey, What Am I Sitting On?", a few of our pathetic plays, some of the movie trailers and parodies we had done, and some really memorable comedy bits; like when Gibby brushed his teeth with mustard for over for minutes (I actually never saw that since I was… temporarily detained, so it was quite amusing).

The video went on for maybe twenty minutes or so, and when it was over, Freddie jumped back up and grabbed his camera as we got settled back into it. I wiped a quick tear from my eye.

"Aw, Sam are you crying?" Carly asked in concern.

"What? Crying? Of course not." I said, waving it off. "Anyways…"

"I can't believe that we're officially over." Carly said. "You guys have been… the most amazing viewers in the world, and we honestly would not be here today without you."

"We wouldn't have this iWeb award without you." I added, pointing to the award that still sat on the iCarly studio shelf.

"We love you guys." Carly said. "So stay clean,"

"Hug a dog." I added.

"Eat some pears,"

"Wash a hobo!"

"Drink a can of soup!"

"And massage an old lady's foot." I finally said.

"But we can't end officially without this one final thing." Carly said.

Freddie pressed a few buttons and then, "RAANNDDOOMM DAANNCCCINNNGGG!"

He switched to the B-Cam and then came out and joined us for a few seconds of dancing; whipping our hair around, doing insane, never-before-seen-moves, and all out just closing on a good note. And then we went back and pressed a few more buttons, and the random dancing stopped.

"And we… are clear."


	20. iGraduate

**A/N: Oh my gosh! I just can't say enough how much you guys mean to me as readers and how your reviews make my day and make me smile :D This has been an amazing story to write, and I'm thankful that y'all liked it so much. This is the last chapter before the epilogue. Again, I love you all so much :D **

**Love, Miss Graphic T-Shirts  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Today was the day.<p>

Today was the day.

Oh my God, today was the day.

I, Sam Puckett, was graduating high school in a matter of hours.

I hadn't gone home since the fight with my mom. There was no way I could go and face her again after what she said to me, and what she said about me and my choices.

So that was why I woke up that morning in Carly's bedroom, rather than my own.

"Carly," I said, giving her a light shove. "Carly, get up!"

"Meah."

"Carly, we're graduating high school today."

"We're WHAT?" she said, sitting up fully.

"We're graduating high school today, Carly!" I repeated.

"Oh my God… I overslept, didn't I? We're going to be late for school…"

"Carly, Carly, Carly, calm down. Seniors have the day off today, remember?" I reminded her.

"Oh." She said. "Well then. Don't wake me up. I'm going back to bed."

* * *

><p>Later that afternoon, Spencer took Carly, Freddie and I out to lunch to celebrate our big day.<p>

"Anywhere you want." He said.

"Galini's!" we all chanted.

"Then to Galini's it is!"

We all piled into Spencer's car and then drove over to Galini's, home of the most delicious pie ever known to man. What? If your graduating high school and you're going out to lunch to celebrate, you should at least have something you love. And for us, that would be pie.

"Ay, Spencer!" Mario said as we came into the shop.

"Hey Mario, got some coconut cream pie for us?" Spencer asked.

"Absolutely!" he replied in his thick Italian accent. "Four slices coming up!"

He went about cutting us some pieces and then handed them to us.

"So, a-Spencer, what's the big event? I don't see you around here that much a-anymore." He said.

"My little iCarly midgets are graduating high school today!" Spencer said, tousling all of our hair, which we all fixed after.

"Ah, graduating high school. A big one!" he said. "Well then the pie is on the house for my favorite grown-up customers."

"Aw, thanks Mario." Carly said. "C'mon guys, let's go sit."

We all sat down at our usual table in the center and dug into our pie, which was freaking AMAZING. Just like I said the last time we were here, all I want to be in life is to be Mrs. Sam-This-Pie.

* * *

><p>As the afternoon went on, Carly and I decided to go get ready, and then something hit me.<p>

"Carly… I've been borrowing your clothes for the past month… but what am I going to wear to graduation?" I asked. "I mean… like… I don't have a dress."

She went over to her closet and pulled out a purple number. "Here."

"But…"

"Put the dress on, Sam." she said.

"Well okay then." I obeyed, slipping the dress on. It was a little big, so Carly altered it with some safety pins she found on her desk.

"All set?" she asked. "I think it looks good on you."

"Thanks." I said, smoothing out the dress. "I think so too. But… now that I think of it, why do we even have to wear dresses? I mean like… we're wearing robes anyways? Why can't I just wear shorts and a tank top?"

"Sam, don't even start with me." Carly replied, slipping into her own hot pink and black number. "What do you think?"

"Lookin good, Carls." I said. "Hey think you can do my hair all special?"

"You are so lucky we're best friends." She said, grabbing her hair brush. "Sit down, we got work to do."

By the time we were all ready, we only had a solid ten minutes until we absolutely HAD to leave the house to get to the high school.

"Augh, I'm so hungry." I said, eying the fridge, where I know Spencer had some leftover ribs.

"You eat ribs in that dress and ruin your makeup, I will find a way to murder you." She said, fixing the strap on her heels.

"You couldn't murder me if you tried." I contradicted.

"No, probably not. But where there's a will, there's a way." She said. "You can walk in your heels, right?"

"Relax, Carly, everything is going to go fine." I said. "Would it calm your mind if we got Freddie and Spencer and just left now?"

"Yes," she said, picking up her purse. "Yes it would."

Twenty minutes later, we arrived at Ridgeway.

"I can't believe my little sister is graduating." Spencer said, fixing his tie a little. "And her little partners in crime."

"Don't tousle our hair." Carly said quickly, seeing it coming.

"Fine then." Spencer said. "Now go find your classmates, I'm going to go sit in the gym. See you in a few, kiddos."

He pushed past us then and went towards the gym. I smoothed out my dress. "You guys ready?"

"Yeah." Freddie, said, taking my hand.

"Not really." Carly said, her voice nearly quavering. "But let's go."

We all walked inside then and followed a couple of the other kids in our class down to the drama room, where we were all meeting, supposedly. Inside, teachers rushed around handing out the red robes to the boys and the white robes to the girls.

"Shay! Puckett! Benson! Come get your robes!" Ms. Briggs shrilled from the corner.

We all made our way to the corner where she handed us each a robe and then had us try it on to see if it fit.

"You know what? At this point? I don't even care. Just go get your caps from Mr. Howard." She said, waving us away. "Gibson! Get your robe!"

We all walked towards Mr. Howard who handed us each a cap.

"Fix the tassels yourselves, smarty pants." He said, waving us away. "I've got better things to do."

Geez, even on our graduation day, these people were grumpy as heck.

Ten minutes later, Principal Franklin came in.

"Alright kids, line up, order of last name. It's go time." He said. "And… I'm proud of all of you. Really."

He left the room as we worked at getting into line. Carly and I were next to each other in line because surprisingly, there was no one in our class with a last name in between Puckett and Shay. Freddie was the first in line.

Principal Franklin came back in. "Okay guys, I'm gonna lead you out to the entrance of the gym, and you remember what to do from there?"

We all nodded and there was a mix of, "Yeahs" and "Uh-huhs"

I took a deep breath and we began our walk towards the gym. The slight hint of the graduation medley playing in the background.

* * *

><p>I never knew how long graduations went on for until I was actually in one. Goodness gracious, can these people stop talking? Finally, it was time for the diplomas.<p>

"Now, we will begin the handing out of diplomas. First up, Fredward Benson." Principal Franklin announced.

Freddie stood up and we all erupted into clapping. I couldn't stop myself from smiling. That was my guy up there. My boyfriend. He shook Principal Franklin's hand and smiled as people took pictures, and then he went and sat back down.

This process repeated over and over. We all cheered whenever our friends got their diplomas. Gibby, Brad, Wendy… and then finally, they called it.

"Samantha Puckett." I took a deep breath and stood up and walked out and around until I got up onto the platform. Freddie smiled at me from the front row and I smiled back. I shook Principal Franklin's hand. "Congratulations Sam, I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks." I said with a smile. I took my diploma and then went and sat back down.

"Carlotta Shay." They called up.

I squeezed Carly's arm and she went up and repeated the process. There were a few more people after her, and then finally, the moment we had been waiting for.

"And now," Principal Franklin said. "I have the great honor of presenting to you on behalf of the School Board and Board of Trustees, the Ridgeway High School of Seattle, Washington, graduating class of 2012!"

We all stood up and cheered, throwing our caps in the air, letting them fall back where they may. I wrapped my arms around Carly and we hugged and cried.

"We did it!" Carly said. "We did it, Sam!"

"I know!" I screamed.

I couldn't believe it. Me, my best friend and my boyfriend were now high school graduates.

Oh… my God.

* * *

><p>People ran around hugging and crying and then began to run off and find their families. Carly and I ran to find Freddie and we all stayed close to the platform as we waited for our respected significant others. We all sat gabbing when suddenly, I saw Colonel Shay, who I hadn't seen in over eight years, coming up behind Carly. He had his fingers to his lips, telling us not to say anything. We just kept on distracting Carly until he put his hands over her eyes.<p>

"Guess who?" he said in his deep voice.

"Oh my God!" she ripped his hands off her eyes. "Dad!"

She turned around and wrapped him in a gigantic hug.

"Hey baby girl." He said, receiving her hug warmly.

"Dad, I can't believe you made it!" she said.

"The Air Force can wait." He said. "Especially when my baby girl is graduating."

They continued to hug things out and then he said hello to me and Freddie.

"You all are so grown up." He said. "It's a good thing I came."

"Colonel Shay, you didn't happen to see my mom, did you?" I asked.

"No, Sam. I'm sorry, I didn't." he said. "Freddie, your mom is talking to some teachers over there. And Carly, I want to go meet that Gibby character. Think you and Spence can introduce me?"

Carly nodded and then her and Spencer and Colonel Shay took off, leaving me and Freddie alone.

"I'm sorry, Sam." he said, turning to me.

"About what?" I said, trying not to cry. "It's not like my mom didn't show up to my high school graduation or anything. You know… it's all good."

He just held out his arms and I fell into them.

"I love you Sam." he said, kissing my hair. "I'm here for you."

"I know you are." I said into his robe. "And you have no idea how much you mean to me."

He pushed me back a little and just gave a secretive smile. "Don't worry, I think I do."


	21. iEpilogue

_**4 Years Later **_

_**Garrison College for the Performing Arts Graduation Gala**__**, Austin Texas **_

* * *

><p><em><em>Carly, Freddie and I all stood around, mingling with our new friends that we had made over the years at Garrison. I had starred in quite a few musicals in my time here, ranging from comedies to dramas and Shakespeare. It was an amazing experience, and I made tons of new friends, and learned so much. Now I had a degree in Musical Theater.

Carly got her degree in music and is going to become a singing teacher back at Ridgeway. She had had many solos the past four years and had become the new star of Garrison's singing program.

Freddie was still an un-deniable tech nerd. He had improved Garrison's lighting and sound systems dramatically and now had a degree in Film. And yes, we were still dating. How could I even bear to break up with him? The one person who I had thought as the worst person possible in my life, ended up being the best.

Just then, Freddie found a chair and stood up on it, clinking his wine glass with his fork.

"Excuse me! Excuse me! I have an announcement." He said from the chair.

What the heck?

"Freddie, stop it." I said with a slight laugh. "What the heck are you doing?"

"Shh." He said as everyone finally turned to him. "Okay, I have a very important announcement to make."

Everyone continued to hold attention.

"There's someone in this room that I can't live without." He started. "Someone that I used to hate… but now love with all my heart, and has for the past five years."

I blinked a few times. He had to have been talking about me.

"I'm talking about my girlfriend, Sam Puckett." He re-stated. "And… Sam, I need to tell you something."

He stepped down from his chair and then cleared a spot and got down on one knee.

"Samantha Puckett, I love you more than I've loved anyone else in my entire life… I… I can't live without you, and so…" he paused and pulled out a small box from his suit pocket. "Samantha Puckett, will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared down at the not boy, but now incredible man before me. I nodded emphatically.

"Yes." I said hoarsely. "Yes."

He stood up and wrapped me in a giant hug.

"I know you can't be Mrs. Sam-This-Pie." He said in my ear. "But I hope Mrs. Benson is okay too."

"Mrs. Benson is the best thing in the world." I replied. "Best thing in the world."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Three Months Later <em>**

**_Seattle Protestant Church, Seattle Washington_**

* * *

><p>"Carly, can I seriously do this?" I asked my maid of honor.<p>

"Sam, you want this. You can do it." she re-assured me. "I know you can."

She squeezed my hand for another re-assurance and then stepped back in front of me and began to walk down the aisle.

It was a small wedding, but it was all I needed. I shook out my free hand again and then hooked it through Spencer's arm.

"Ready to go, kid?" he asked.

"Yeah." I said. "And thanks for giving me away, Spence. You're the closest thing to a parent I have."

"Anytime, kid." He said. "Anytime"

And then my song began to play. We stepped out and everyone stood and stared at me. I swallowed hard and then focused my attention on Freddie, the man I was marrying. The man I loved with all my heart.

We walked down the aisle and Spencer handed me over to Freddie, who took my hand and gave it a squeeze as we walked up to the preacher who began the service.

"Dearly beloved, we gather here today to celebrate the unity of Freddie and Sam in holy matrimony…"

He went on, and we did our traditional vows, slipping the rings on each other's fingers. Carly sang, which nearly brought me to tears, and then finally, it was the time I had been waiting for.

"Freddie, you may now kiss your bride."

He smiled and then put his hands by my waist and I put mine on his shoulders and we kissed as he dramatically dipped me back and then back up. What can I say? We are performing arts graduates.

"And now I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Freddie Benson." The preacher announced.

I smiled at my new husband and then at my best friend. I looked out into the crowd and saw Melanie, who understood completely with my choice of not having her in the wedding, even though I loved her to death. She smiled at me and then blew me a kiss.

And even though Mom wasn't there… because she had still stayed stubborn all these years…

I was truly the happiest I had ever been.

* * *

><p><strong>~The End~<strong>


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